Materials and Sustainable Development

This book, from noted materials selection authority Mike Ashby, provides a structure and framework for analyzing sustainable development and the role of materials in it. The aim is to introduce ways of exploring sustainable development to readers in a way that avoids simplistic interpretations and approaches complexity in a systematic way. There is no completely "right" answer to questions of sustainable development – instead, there is a thoughtful, well-researched response that recognizes concerns of stakeholders, the conflicting priorities and the economic, legal and social aspects of a technology as well as its environmental legacy. The intent is not to offer solutions to sustainability challenges but rather to improve the quality of discussion and enable informed, balanced debate.

Winner of a 2016 Most Promising New Textbook Award from the Textbook and Academic Authors AssociationDescribes sustainable development in increasingly detailed progression, from a broad overview to specific tools and methodsSix chapter length case studies on such topics as biopolymers, electric cars, bamboo, and lighting vividly illustrate the sustainable development process from a materials perspectiveBusiness and economic aspects are covered in chapters on corporate sustainability and the "circular materials economy"Support for course use includes online solutions manual and image bank

1. The Concept of Sustainable Development
2. What is a Sustainable Development?
3. Assessing Sustainable Developments
4. Tools, Prompts and Methods
5. Material Risk
6. Introduction to Case Studies
7. Scaling up Biopolymer Production
8. Wind farms
9. Electric cars
10. Bamboo as a sustainable building material
11. Lighting
12. Extending Product Life
13. The Circular Materials Economy
14. Corporate Sustainability and Materials
15. A database to support Sustainability teaching
16. Guidance for Instructors and suggestions for further projects
17. Useful Data and Charts