Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden – March 17-20, 2004
Saturday 8 May 2004, by Philip Michael Sheehy
Workshop 1
Cambridge 2020: A Local Perspective Presenters: Karim Abdul-Matin, Elke Hodson, Philip Sheehy, Masahiro Sugiyama, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Goals – Provide a framework for students to explore the theme of sustainable cities; however, rather than take a strictly theoretical approach, real-world parameters were established by using the City of Cambridge to challenge the participants.
Logistics – Approximately 20 students were divided into 3 groups.
Presentation/Background – The workshop was presented as a competition. Each of the three groups represented a consulting firm vying for a contract with the City of Cambridge. The participants were told that the city had recently passed an ordinance calling on the city council to award a contract to a firm that would guide Cambridge into the year 2020. Each firm was asked to create its development plan with the following areas as focal points: land use, transportation, and the built environment. The plans were judged using the following criteria: creativity, effectiveness, integration, cost-effectiveness, political feasibility, and regional impact.
To jumpstart the brainstorming process, information packets were provided, each of which included (1) general information about Cambridge and background information on each of the three areas, (2) case studies of cities where more sustainable solutions had been found, and (3) potential existing barriers for the implementation of a sustainable development project. Moreover, each group had one MIT member and the workshop facilitators answered any feasibility questions the participants might have had.
Outputs – After their 90-minute brainstorming sessions, each group was responsible for preparing a 10-minute presentation for the following day.
It is interesting to note that each group approached the brainstorming period differently. One group divided the responsibility amongst members by dividing into subgroups, each focusing on one of the three key areas. After devising their individual plans, the subgroups reconvened with the whole group and integrated their plans appropriately. The other two groups worked together for the entire brainstorming session to develop their proposals.
The highlights of the different plans are mentioned here. One group proposed student-based initiatives as means to achieve implementation of their plan. The students would work as interns or in part-time positions under the supervision of trained professionals. The plan would provide job opportunities and experience for students as well as inexpensive labor for the community, while improving the quality of life in the long run for Cambridge. A specific example of their plan is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. A population density map of Cambridge demonstrating areas of residents that can be connected.
In the area of transportation, the dark red area in Figure 1 would be focused on pedestrian usage, while students would conduct surveys on how residents would best like to move between the more densely populated areas (dark red, middle) and where more people work (light yellow areas).
For land use, the group suggested advertising “sustainable†classifieds, thereby enabling people to work closer to their home. To ease the financial burden on residents interested in moving closer to their place of work, a subsidy from the city was proposed. For the built environment, students would be involved in retrofitting Cambridge buildings to become more energy efficient, i.e. installing solar panels, energy-efficient windows, and initiating recycling programs. Another group showed how moving and/or eliminating some street parking would make room for bus-only or bike-only lanes on some of the major streets, thereby decreasing single-occupancy vehicle usage. In another transportation related development, a GPS tracking system on bus routes was used to generate a more user-friendly bus system. The GPS tracking could elminate the need for an expensive infrastructure required of stationary LED displays at stops. Instead, people would be able to call on their mobile phones to determine their waiting time.
Conclusions – The workshop was a remarkable success; participants successfully worked in teams with multiple nationalities while generating a variety of intriguing suggestions. Although most groups noted that they could have used more than the allotted 90 minutes for brainstorming, the presentations were impressive.
The team from MIT hopes to continue developing this workshop in an effort to use it as an educational tool in the field of sustainable development.
Workshop 2
Sustainable Product Design in Japan Presenters: Derlie Mateo-Babiano, Michael Toribio, Akiko Yano, Noda Yu, Yumiko University of Tokyo
Goals – Educate participants about current initiatives in Japan related to eco-design and development. Using mobile phones as a case study, students would explore Design for Environment (DfE) with emphasis on Quality Functional Deployment for Environment (QFDE). Participants were expected to make recommendations for improvements of product design and development specific to the userâ€TMs country/region.
Logistics – 19 students were divided into 3 groups for the case study.
Presentation/Background – A survey of Japanese companies revealed that 50% of them were not implementing DfE because they were unaware of it. The stages of QFDE were presented to participants to provide them with a rudimentary knowledge base. QDFE is an environmentally conscious tool that is used in the early stages of product development. It is a method designed to reflect the ‘voice of the customerâ€TM in product design. Unlike the more commonly known Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), QDFE is not intended for quantitative evaluation, nor does it include a component explicitly considering cost. In its initial stages, QDFE involves the identification of environmentally significant components. This information is used in the second stage as the most environmentally friendly proposal is made. For (environmental) qualityâ€TMs sake, an environmental checklist is then used to guarantee the merit of the proposal. Upon satisfactory completion of the checklist, a life cycle analysis is conducted; a cradle-to-grave review of the environmental impact of the product.
After an overview of QDFE, LCA, and other necessary terminology, participants were separated based on their country of origin. Participants were then given a questionnaire related to mobile phone use.
Finally, participants were split into three groups. Each group represented one of the following three stakeholders: producers, consumers, policy-makers. They were charged with developing a scenario to encourage “green†purchasing of mobile phones, while keeping in mind the role of mobile phones in oneâ€TMs daily life in the year 2050.
Outputs
Results of Questionnaire – The majority of the 19 participants in this workshop identified themselves as Asian, with Europeans representing the next largest fraction of students. Of these students, 75% of them said that ‘talking with their friendsâ€TM was the primary reason they used their mobile phone, while only 21% identified ‘businessâ€TM reasons. An overwhelming 84% of the participants consider their mobile phone a necessity in their daily life. One half (50%) of the students responded that they use their mobile phone for 10 minutes or less per day, 39% for 11-30 minutes per day, and only 11% for more than 30 minutes per day. With regard to how often they replaced their mobile phones, 39% of the students did so once per year and 22% every three years. The remaining 39% of students said that they replaced their phones in a different time frame than the 6-month, 1-year, and 3-year periods listed on the survey. The reasons for purchasing a new mobile phone were varied: broken or lost phone (47%), outdated model (39%), and wanted to change service providers (7%). Finally, and perhaps the most interesting response, 100% of the students responded that they were unaware of an ‘eco-friendlyâ€TM mobile phone company.
Group Work Three sets of recommendations were proposed:
a) Recommendations for Producers – This group concentrated on three areas for improvements for mobile phone producers: advertising, manufacturing, and exercising political influence. The emphasis of their advertising suggestions was based on the placement of a clear label indicating that the phone was an eco-friendly product. Similarly, they suggested educational initiatives that raised awareness of the consumer about their sustainable products. In the manufacturing processes, participants suggested investing money in developing more sustainable materials with an emphasis on energy-use, while improving existing programs that allowed users to recycle their phones. At the political level, the group decided that the company should lobby for stricter environmental standards while encouraging a potential tax on non-eco-friendly products as a means to eliminate wasteful mobile-phones.
b) Recommendations for Consumers – The consumers group made their intentions clear from the beginning; they were promoting active consumerism that encouraged labeling of all eco-friendly products. With a basic understanding of demand and its effect on the market, the consumers group was determined to demonstrate that producers and policy-makers should understand the environmental concerns of the user/consumer. They were willing to pay a deposit on the eco-friendly phone, which was repaid only when the phone was returned to the seller for recycling. In another bold statement, the consumers group made it known that they were willing to pay up to 10% higher for an eco-friendly product verses a conventional one. What kind of demand does that put on the market?
c) Recommendations for Policy-makers – This group viewed its role as two-fold: ensuring that consumers have an option for purchasing an eco-friendly product, while placing the burden for improvement on the producers of mobile phones by instituting taxes on all products. The tax on each product would be lowered based on its rating on an eco-friendly scale. To aid in the easing of tax burdens, the group suggested that the government would provide a forum for producers to learn more about sustainable design, while retaining the unique manufacturing processes of their company. With regard to the public, the participants decided that the measures taken by the producers would be buoyed by an intense public awareness campaign.
Conclusions – The workshop was a success in raising studentsâ€TM awareness as it relates to sustainable design and disposal of a product. The key elements of QDFE and LCA provided the appropriate introduction to get students thinking about the products they use as consumers, while sparking their creative interest in design and development of an eco-friendly product.
Workshop 3
Student’s Involvement in Development of Ethnic Tolerance in Sustainable Cities Presenters: Konstantine Vassiliev and Ann Bozhko (with concept development by Svetlana Rodinskaia), St. Petersburg State Politechnical University
Goals – Understand how students can utilize a network in their city/region of study to bolster their understanding of cultural diversity as it relates to sustainability and sustainable development. Students should consider how to increase their personal involvement in the area, as well as explore the role that the WSC-SD can play in promoting diversity.
Logistics – 12 students were divided into 2 groups for the first part and 3 groups for the second part.
Presentation/Background – The diversity of mankind lends itself to unbelievable accomplishments and development on an international scale; however, a lack of understanding amongst the diverse ethnic groups within geo-political regions has also hindered societal progress to varying degrees. A brief introduction to peaceful conflict resolution provided students with a rudimentary understanding of relevant terminology and conceptual examples necessary to promote fruitful discussions.
The background presentation was followed by a brief overview of local projects at St. Petersburgâ€TMs SC. They are promoting understanding amongst ethnic groups via student interaction. Students are encouraged to explore and reach out to others — including other students and local community members — representing different nationalities. Each initiative encouraged students to reach out, and share part of themselves, while gaining an appreciation for other customs and cultures. These inherently enriching experiences emphasize that small-scale local initiatives are extremely important in fostering intercultural understanding and ethnic tolerance.
The presenters then posed several questions to the participants. First, participants were asked to identify any perceived ethnic or cultural tension within their local communities, regions and nations. Using this information, students were then divided into 3 groups to consider ways that the WSC-SD could help ease existing cultural and ethnic tension.
Outputs – Each group had varying approaches to improving ethnic tolerance and promoting cultural diversity within the WSC-SD. The first group was quick to point out that although our organization is an international one, we do have limited representation from several parts of the world. It was also pointed out that some individuals are at a distinct disadvantage of appropriately representing their idea of culture based on their ability to speak English. While this is an important point, it is also recognized that participants at the meeting — and in the WSC-SD — are exceptionally patient with each other. The same group emphasized the value and necessity of self-reflection as a means to achieve mutual understanding.
The second group demonstrated their willingness to promote cultural understanding by having their representative arrive in her native Azerian dress. They also encouraged more international representation and participation in the WSC-SD, but also emphasized the necessity of intercultural representation within each SC also. To promote intercultural exchange within the WSC-SD, they proposed the e-Journal contain a section dedicated to the subject. As a method for outreach, the second group suggested contacting local high schools/primary schools within each SCâ€TMs community to promote cultural exchange between young and younger students.
The third group proposed a very structured methodology for improving intercultural understanding and exchange within the WSC-SD via short articles and essays on relevant issues. The material would be distributed internally at each university, as well as used to reach out to surrounding universities, as well as the local community. They emphasized the necessary diversity in both content of and contribution to the document. To publicize the document(s), the group suggested inviting academics, community members, students, and all interested parties to participate.
Conclusions – Overall, the workshop was fruitful. Participants were eager to discuss the perceived ethnic problems in their home countries, at their universities, or the cities they call home. The ideas generated were intriguing, and many have the potential to become projects within the WSC-SD. The workshop facilitated much needed discussion and sharing of cultures, one of the unique opportunities that the AM continues to provide.
Workshop 4
Communication for Sustainability — Effective Communication for the WSC-SD Presented by Masanao Koda, Akina Kondo, Miwa Matsuo, Atsuko Terazono and Hatsumi Yano, University of Tokyo; Simon Schneebeli, EPFL; Chaitra Chandrasekhar, MIT
Goals – Improve communication amongst SCs in an effort to promote collaboration and cooperation, and to educate students about available tools/technology designed to reduce communication barriers (i.e. distance).
Logistics – About 20 students were divided into 2 groups, and those groups were then divided into 2 subgroups each.
Presentation / Background – In approaching the sometimes esoteric topic of sustainability, student-initiated collaboration is often difficult due to existing barriers. Most noticeably within the WSC-SD, the SCs are separated by significant distance, making communication much more difficult. Students within the organization do not have a chance to regularly meet face-to-face. Another issue that poses a challenge to effective communication is the differences in English-speaking capabilities. Our organization is almost entirely dependent on written communication — which can lend itself to misinterpretation based on different backgrounds. How can the WSC-SD begin to address these internal issues? And what is the benefit of doing so?
Active communication will facilitate and improve international projects while allowing students to share common resources used to achieve their goals. While the emphasis is clearly on improving internal communication, it is also important to point out that outreach and other external measures of communication will be remarkably improved. Developing an internal confidence for the organization and increasing its visibility to external entities will foster a unique sense of pride for members of the WSC-SD. Regardless of the direction of the WSC-SD and its activities, one can be sure that active communication amongst both SCs and individuals will be integral factor. The presenters of this workshop intended to provide information about existing tools and platforms for communication, some of which are currently used by the WSC-SD, some are not.
The presenters divided participants into two groups to stimulate discussions related to improving communication: a tools group and a form group. Communication tools were defined as instruments to connect people in a virtual meeting place, while the form group dedicated their time to exploring ‘communication beyond barriersâ€TM, including topics such as interdisciplinary communication and cross-cultural communication.
Outputs
Tools Group – The tools group concentrated their efforts on evaluating a variety of different platforms for communication, including video conferencing, an informational webpage, the e-journal, online chatting, etc. While video-conferencing addresses many of the problems associated with our lack of face-to-face communication and adds a new element to the organizationâ€TMs portfolio, the technology is not entirely reliable. The technology still does not resolve the issues related to English proficiency for the members of the WSC-SD. Although an intriguing possibility, and something that should be considered on some occasions, video-conferencing does not seem absolutely necessary for the organization at this juncture.
The advantages and disadvantages of the current web-based platforms for communication — forum, chats, email, and e-journal — are rather obvious. The burden for improvement in these areas was placed on both the user and the current platforms available. Members of the organization need to be more active and assertive in their efforts to communication with each other, while the Communication Committee must continue to provide the most efficient — and free — forms for interaction.
Specific improvements recommended for the website included, but were not limited to, a more professional design, creation of a WSC-SD ‘brandâ€TM, and improved advertising for the e-journal publication. These improvements provide the focus for the short-term goals of the Communication Committee of the WSC-SD.
Form Group – The form group discussed the existing barriers for efficient communication between members of the SCs, while addressing potential methods to reduce these barriers. Their emphasis was placed on developing platforms to improve membersâ€TM English proficiency. They identified the need for discussion facilitators as a means to insure that all participants are given the opportunity to contribute. While it is common for native English speakers to dominate discussions, the introduction of a facilitator could help insure that all students are given the opportunity to participate and express themselves. The Annual Meeting is a unique opportunity for non-native English speakers to practice what they have learned, and there must be measures in place to encourage their participation at all stages of the AM.
With regards to external communication, the form group pointed to a need to involve more students from more universities — with an emphasis on schools in the developing world. Outreach to other universities and students can be facilitated via an improved web platform, while current members use existing contacts to promote the WSC-SD. On the web, the form group suggested customized software for online chatting that allowed for virtual hand raising. This would eliminate potentially confusing online chats that are often perceived as disorganized.
Conclusions – Communication remains an area of both strength and weakness for the WSC-SD. The unique platform that our organization provides is increasingly effective; however, the success of our organization requires continuous improvement via internal reflection. Re-evaluation of the tools we use, and the framework we operate within is a valuable exercise, indicating the WSC-SDâ€TMs commitment to affect change through student initiatives.
- Elke Hodson (MIT), Akiko Yano (UT), Kostya Vassiliev (Saint Petersburg), and Atsuko Terazono (UT)
Sat, May 8, 2004
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