5b. Design for Sustainability

Track Chairs

Goals and Objectives of the Track

Design is defined as the activity of shaping the human surroundings, performed by professionals or lay persons. Human surroundings are understood as everything from urban and landscape planning to  services, concepts and objects.

The general aim of design for sustainability (DfS) is to enhance practicality and/or well-being (including social welfare, health, aesthetics, and more), and reducing environmental impacts.

The topic will be discussed in terms of what way DfS can contribute physical or cultural sustainability, and its significance for innovative approaches. Possible negative effects of a phenomena could also be analysed.

DfS implies decisions related to: low-impacts and health materials; energy and resource efficiency; durability; reuse; circular systems; low life cycle impacts, and the like. Methods, tools, indicators, criteria, metrics are deemed for necessary for DfS i.e. life cycle assessment. Thus, investigations of approaches, methods, measuring and evaluation or measuring of results of DfS will be welcomed.

In summary, the aim of the track is:

  • To present the current state of the art of theories, methods, indicators and strategies to assess and to measure DfS
  • To present case and other empirical studies on the topic, at local, national and global levels, regarding either DfS related policies, products, systems and business enterprises
  •  To share knowledge between academics, research and development organisations as well as, business enterprises and practitioners, promoting a dialogue between theory and practice

List of potential topics:

  • Theoretical approaches and methodologies for DfS
  • Sustainability assessment tools and indicators
  • Decision-making supporting methods and tools and design criteria/guidelines
  • Case studies of: DfS-related policies; products; services; built environments such as eco-design, smart cities, green buildings; circular business models and life cycle approaches to design

Additionally, authors are asked to identify which SDGs and SDG targets they are addressing in their abstracts, and a brief indication on how the proposed contribution relating the topic og the conference: Accelerating progress towards SDGs in times of crisis.

Length and content of the proposed abstract to the track

Each proposed abstract (in connection to an area pointed out above) of between 300 and 500 words (including all aspects),

  1. shall be best organized (without headlines) along usual structures (e.g. intro/method/findings or results/ discussion/conclusions)
  2. does not need to, but can include references
  3. shall provide in a final section
    a. to which SDG(s) and SDG-target(s) their proposed abstract especially relate to (e.g. “SDG+Target: 14.1.”).
    b. a brief indication how the proposed contribution relates to the topic of the Conference (“ACCELERATING PROGRESS TOWARDS SDG’s IN TIMES OF CRISIS”).

Abstracts which do not outline points 3.a.) AND 3.b.) might not be given special consideration in the selection for potential publications and might be considered less relevant in the Review.

Potential publication channels

With regard to potential publications, depending on the number and quality of contributions the following publication opportunities have already been envisaged (http://isdrs.org/journals-test/ ):

Sustainable Development. Online ISSN: 1099-1719.

Business Strategy and Environment. Wiley https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10990836

Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. Online ISSN: 1535-3966

Environmental Policy and Governance. Online ISSN: 1756-9338.

Submission

Please submit your abstract by visiting the abstract submission system (you will be required to setup an account first) at 
https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/login?redirect=/stages/2332/submitter

Extended deadline for abstracts: 15 February 2021

PLEASE ALSO CONSIDER A PARTICIPATION IN OUR PHD-WORKSHOP! 
https://2021.isdrsconferences.org/phd-workshop/