Sustainability

Question 1

What is sustainable development?

Answer 1

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Question 2

Two key concepts of sustainable:

Answer 2

• the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given
• the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisations on the envionment’s ability to meet present and future needs

Question 3

What is resilient mean?

Answer 3

The ability of a system to withstand disruption and continue to function and develop.

Question 4

Strong sustainability shows the connections & dependencies between

Answer 4

• environment
• society
• economy

Question 5

What are some principles of sustainability

Answer 5

• Maintain the system within the limits of natural capital. Sub non-rewnewable with renewable natural capital.
• Maintain environmental life support services and the assimilative capacity of the environment.
• Maintain human activity within the carrying capacity of the environment
• Support an equitable, healthy and prosperous society
• account for present and future generations

Question 6

Sustainable infrastructure assets have:

Answer 6

a long useful life with minimum reliance on non renewable resources, which minimise the impacts on society and the environment and which benefit, rather than endanger, economic prosperity in the long term.

Question 7

What is social license to operate?

Answer 7

The ability of an organisation to carry on its business because of the confidence society has that it will behave in a legitimate, accountable and socially and environmentally acceptable way.

Question 8

Emerging use of tools:

Answer 8

• greenhouse gas inventories / lifecycle assessments
• multi-criteria analysis/ decision support
• sustainability measures/ rating tools
• baseline studies & strategic assessments

Question 9

What are the benefits of rating tools?

Answer 9

• common language for sustainability in infrastructure
• consistent application and evaluation of sustainability in tendering processes
• scoping whole-of-life sustainability risks for projects and assets, enabling smarter solutions that reduce risks and costs
• foster resource efficiency and waste reduction, reducing cost
• foster innovation and continuous improvement
• builds an organisations credentials and reputation in approach to sustainability in infrastructure.