4.+Sustainable+Infrastructure

3.1 Chapter Goal
Communication, sound reasoning, and the defining of terminology are all key elements in any successful interactions including engineering processes. The goal of this chapter is to define our variables, sustainability and sustainable infrastructure, in order to facilitate an initial basis. The preceding chapters will discuss a variety of topics, introducing and establishing clear definitions as well as providing additional information on technical terms and practices.

3.2 Sustainability
__Sustainability:__ Capacity to endure.

//"Sustainable development is development that meets the// //needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations// //to// //meet// //their own needs."//

There are many definitions of sustainability but most focus on living within the limitations, equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, and understanding the interconnections among economy, society and the environment. Sustainability includes but is not limited to energy, transportation, water use, recycling, and natural resource life cycles. To be sustainable as an individual, an organization or a government one must manage resources in a responsible manner, with minimal impact on the natural surroundings and climate. Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from controlling living conditions, eco-villages, eco-municipalities and sustainable cities, to reappraising work practices, using permaculture, green building, sustainable agriculture, or developing new technologies that reduce the consumption of resources. Costa Rica is a country rich with renewable energy. In fact, it gets about 99% of all its electrical energy from clean sources. Costa Rica has built their entire country upon alternative energy sources including geothermal energy, the burning of sugarcane waste and other biomass, solar, hydroelectric and wind energy. As President Arias stated at a Council of the Americas, “Global warming and heavy dependence on fossil fuels are two of the greatest threats facing humanity today. This administration will strongly advocate local, regional, and global action on climate change, including full support for the Kyoto Protocol, renewable energy, and greater fuel efficiency for vehicles.” Not only has President Arias declared a goal of making Costa Rica the world’s first carbon-neutral country, they want to do so in time to celebrate 200 years of independence in 2021, says environment and energy minister Roberto Dobles. Costa Rica's understanding that sustainability is related to the quality of life in a community is __evident__ in their level of commitment to sustainability. Their energy use is maintainable at their given rate and furthermore conserves an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of their natural resources, this is by definition a great example of sustainability.



In David T. Allen and David R. Shonnard's book, //Sustainable Engineering: An Introduction to Sustainability// it states, "Sustainability is a powerful, yet abstract, concept" and "In engineering, incorporating sustainability into products, processes, technology systems, and services generally means integrating environmental, economic, and social factors in the evaluation of designs.While the concepts of engineering for sustainability may seem simple in the abstract, converting the concepts into the quantitative design tools and performance metrics that can be applied in engineering design is a challenge."

Sustainability has economic, social and environmental dimensions that determine and encompass the concept of environmental stewardship, the long-term responsible management of resource use. Reduce, Reuse & Recycle but more importantly take into consideration the parameters of the given situations. Each environment, business and culture has different needs, wants and expectations, which requires context sensitive design as discussed in the next chapter.

3.3 Sustainable Infrastructure
__Sustainable Infrastructures:__ Providing a system that contributes to the sustainability vision, "Enduring prosperity of ALL living things." "Infrastructure is the set of structural elements that supports the day-to-day function, and influences the direction of human society. Sustainable infrastructure refers to the designing, building, and operating of these structural elements in ways that do not not diminish the social, economic and ecological processes required to maintain human equity, diversity, and the functionality of natural systems."

Infrastructure is critical to sustainable community development. The infrastructures we build today will form tomorrow’s communities. As established in our introduction, sustainable infrastructure is an organizational structure used to facilitate an economy or society while simultaneously helping a region progress toward sustainable living. Infrastructure is geographically and socially dependent. Many systems contribute to infrastructures such as: transportation, energy, water management, communications, solid waste management, earth monitoring and measurement networks which encompass highways, roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, seaports, waterways, non-motorized pathways, generation plants, electrical grids, substations, gas pipelines, renewable energy plants, and the emerging electric vehicle networks for charging electric vehicles, etc. Implementation of these complex infrastructure systems requires attention to the economy, environment, and social aspects in which they affect. These three aspects help us determine an infrastructure's sustainability.

Infrastructure choices tend to play an essential role in the conception and continuance of communities that are sustainable, inhabitable, and successful. The challenge is to engage with people and their diversity, differences and needs. In theory, a sustainable design can lead to the development of sustainable communities by ensuring that infrastructural knowledge makes improvements that do not deplete natural resources. Sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents but there is a great deal of subjectivity and further adaptation to what “needs” refer to. Consequently, mass adoption and the transition to utilizing renewable resources becomes vitally important in sustainable infrastructures. The design emphasis for a sustainable urban infrastructure is on localization and sustainable living. The aim is to decrease the individual's or company's environmental footprint according to the principles of maintainable development in areas with a high population density.

Below are a few examples of sustainable infrastructures we experienced in Costa Rica:

While running with a classmate in Liberia, we came upon a road built right around a tree. Initially we thought to ourselves, how impractical to have a tree mid-intersection and to what degree did this debilitate the roads functionality? After a short discussion and consideration of context sensitive design, we agreed that not only was the road fully functional because of the little amount of traffic flow but that from growing up in the United States we assumed the environment should work around our infrastructures rather than build our infrastructures around the natural surroundings as they did in the figure below. We evaluated this system on a performance base design vs. criteria based design. A criteria based design says if roads are designed with dimensions (i.e. criteria) it will be safe where performance based design looks at how design elements influence each other, especially applicable in areas were criteria can't be met-- for example, if the guidelines call for 12 foot lanes and you can only afford or fit 10 foot lanes. The tree is an example of performance based design. Criteria would mandate the tree be cut down but because the traffic volumes are relatively low and there are other side streets available, they didn't need to cut the tree down.
 * __Perspectives__**



On a coast hillside overlooking sandy beaches we were given tours of a couple "eco-friendly hotels," that had small sustainable business tatics and initiatives but comparitively they seemed to suffer when up against our previous hotels which posses deep and sincere levels of committment towards sustainability. After more information was given we found there were multiple other ways these eco-tourist resorts in Papagayo, Costa Rica were sustainable. Although these resorts may not have be perfect or complete in their environmental sustainability, through their business they have brought money to the area, provided jobs, funding for the roads and built a school, all which are socially and economically sustainable. Given the triple bottom line framework, which will be discussed in chapter 7, these resorts were much more sustainable than what we had initially assumed. Sustainable tourism such as this, will enhance and protect the destinations for generations to come by engaging in sustainable practices that conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact.
 * __More Than What Meets The Eye__**




 * __Idealistic Self Sustaining Ranch__**

"Rancho Margot is owned by the Sostheim family who upon visiting Costa Rica fell in love with Lake Arenal and its surrounding area. They purchased approximately 400 acres on the shores of the lake with beautiful volcano views, primary rainforest, eleven natural springs and the largest river feeding Lake Arenal flowing through the property. Having traveled all over the world and witnessed the devastation that had occurred in other “paradises”, the family decided to develop Rancho Margot as a teaching community based on sustainable rural tourism and conservation." Rancho Margot, a farm our class was privileged to discover and reside at, is located in an eco-sensitive area known as the Biosphere of Water and Peace, an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Conservation and sustainable use and respect for natural resources is critically important in this area on both a national and international scale. Beyond offering guests a peaceful setting within which they can connect or reconnect with nature, Rancho Margot is also a model of sustainable business operation and living. Education about environmental and agricultural concerns is a key component to the guest, employee and volunteer experience. Knowing the importance of education Rancho Margot not only participates in but also facilitates spanish immersion programs, volunteer work programs, international academic programs, children summer programs, and a new beginning yoga retreat. Rancho Margot participates in the Costa Rican tourism board’s rigorous Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST). The certificate, which grants one to five leaves, also functions as a guide to Costa Rica’s greenest businesses in the tourism industry. Rancho Margot currently has four leaves with their next inspection within 2012 and are optimistic about obtaining their fifth leaf, the highest level of certification. Rancho Margot welcomes the opportunity to share its best sustainable practices with other businesses in the country and throughout the world, ensuring that commitment to educating others.

They have a staff of approximately 45 people with 10 to 15 rotating volunteers and have a capacity of approximately 50 families living and working on the ranch with hopes to expand. they have over 10 acres under cultivation, with a staff led by two university graduated agricultural engineers striving to produce without the use of any chemicals in turn generating natural products. The Margot Family Objectives are to make everyone feel at home, spread awareness for the need to preserve nature and to be a good neighbor. Speaking for the Study Abroad Sustainable Infrastructures 2012, we do believe they succeeded in their objectives. Arriving at Rancho Margot we were all very excited initially with the breathtaking aesthetics of the facilities, foliage, grounds and later with the depth of sustainability within their little community. During the tour of the ranch we were introduced to their significant efforts to being sustainable. They demonstrated and explained to us their amazing system of compost, which heats their water, has no flies due to the animals vegetarian diet and utilizes micro organisms found in the mountains; animals for produce including chickens, cows (milking and meat), and pigs including a hybrid pig that is more resistant to illness and overall has more quality meat; homemade soaps from the kitchen scraps/fats and laundry detergent from the partially used soaps from the guests; a small hydroelectric turbine utilizing the stream above the farm which in turn facilitates the farm with electricity; a beautiful and very luxurious natural cold and hot pool; producing more than 40 different kinds of vegetables. They have planted over 1000 fruit trees and we were able to enjoy their tomatoes, garlic, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, coco, coffee, egg plant, basil, sugar cane, coconuts, etc. Even down to the simplest things like a tucan decoration made from an old tire. Rancho Margot grows 60% of its food for staff and guests, has little to no waste, all produce is organically grown, with onsite yoga, massages, horses, obstacle course, and fish pond. Socially Rancho Margot is a sincere sustainable example both physically and verbally, "We want to create a model of sustainability at the community level and believe that as more people come to seek out this type of development, the local community will see the value of what we are doing in their native land. Some progress has been made, on January 26th 2010, the local development association voted to focus future activities on sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. How this will manifest itself remains to be seen. There is hope… it’s a start."

To reiterate and emphasize Rancho Margot's purpose and powerful example their mission is to "not only to strive to become a model of sustainable tourism as measured by the Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST) requirements, but to also show each visitor what is possible and to teach steps they can take to live in harmony with the natural environment in their own communities. Once you see what so few have done in so little time you will feel you can do your part. That’s not a challenge, that’s our promise."



There is a large wood shop in Costa Rica called "Señor y Señora Ese". This wood shop started about 25 years ago in the garage of Mr. And Mrs. Ese. The only items they were making were small wooden tops that are children's toys. Over the years, the couple expanded their business to include making more and more different types of knickknacks out of more and more different types of wood. Before the economic downturn, the company had a total of 300 employees, since the recession they had to cut back to about half, but are still economically profitable. The wood shops of Sr and Sra Ese (shops of Ese) go to great lengths to assure they are environmentally sustainable. They not only strive to be economically profitable and have a healthy bottom line, but they also try to be socially and environmentally conscious. Sr and Sra Ese own and run a wood shop that make souvenirs and about anything imaginable out of wood. This was more than an ordinary wood shop, the owners take great pride in their high standard of ethics in their work. There is currently a large market of illegally cut down exotic trees throughout the world. It is legal however to cut down and use the trees in Costa Rica, in limited amounts, as long as three trees are planted in its place. Obviously some organizations do not follow the tree cutting laws, but this one always does. They only cut down trees that are allowed, and they always replant three new trees. They also try to find trees that are near the end of their lives and would die soon anyway to cut down. Once the tree is cut down, they also dig up the roots. The company tries to value and make use of each and every part of the tree. The seeds are gathered and used to make jewelry, and the sawdust from cutting is collected and mixed with glue to make a composite wood. See Figure below to emphasize the efficient utilization of their wood products.
 * __Señor y Señora Ese__**

Economical Wood Utilization

The woods that they utilize are amazingly beautiful and exotic. One of the woods is a deep purple, another has a zebra pattern. According to a tour taken at Senior and Senora Ese Wood-shop, in order to make their wooden products of the highest quality, they use an elaborate curing process. This process is used to let the moisture levels in the wood to come to a natural balance. Once the tree is cut down, it must cure for three years before any further processing. After three years the tree is cut into boards, put on a pallet and stored for another 10 years.

While this company is not a company that from the outside looks like it is a great steward of environmentalism, they are just a wood shop that makes trinkets and souvenirs, they are a great example of the triple bottom line. They are socially responsible (equality in the work place, helping handicapped and working single mothers), environmentally responsible (not poaching illegal wood, always following the rule of plant three trees to replace one cut down) and economically profitable. This is a great example to illustrate that it is not required to be an extremist to be sustainable or environmentally conscious, it just requires a willingness to take the society and environment into consideration when making economic decisions.

CONCLUSION

Education is the key to preserving the rain forest, protecting our way of life, and leaving our children hope for the future. We can read in books about reforestation, protection of animals, low carbon impact, sustainability and green initiatives but by participating in our education of sustainable infrastructures and systems we could not help but be inspired. The ability to reflect and understand different aspects and perspectives through defined communication is vitally important. The general public understands the concept of "going green", meaning they should recylce and perhaps compost. They do not really understand the concepts of sustainablility, sustainable infrastructures or sustainable development. There is an important role for the concept of sustainable development as an ever-evolving concept; it could and should be something we all understand and can make contributions to, however small they may seem. People are united through their common humanity and where differences are always there, sustainable infrastructures and development are a lynch pin for success. Local companies and leaders should be educated and informed and aggressive in their support of sustainability of their communities.

=Works Cited= //About the Ranch//. (2011). Retrieved July 1, 2012, from Rancho Margot, A Sustainable Island in the Rainforest: http://ranchomargot.org/ crcresearch. (2012). //Sustainable Infrastructure, Research Objectives and Outcomes//. Retrieved July 1, 2012, from Sustainable Community Development: http://crcresearch.org/sustainable-infrastructure/objectives-and-outcomes Infrastructure, I. f. (2012). //The Need for Sustainable Infrastructure Design and Development//. Retrieved July 1, 2012, from Sustainable Infrastructure: http://www.sustainableinfrastructure.org/rating/infrastructure/whatistheneed.cfm