14 septembre 2017, 11h30

Conférence-midi du CRAD: Life Cycle Thinking Approach for Sustainable Urban Planning

FAS-1613

Conférence-midi CRAD et Chaire de recherche CRSNG en eau potable

Life Cycle Thinking Approach for Sustainable Urban Planning : A Case of Water System through the lens of Water-Energy-Carbon Nexus

Par Gyan Chhipi Shrestha, PhD, postdoctorant à la Chaire de recherche CRSNG en eau potable

Life cycle thinking is a holistic approach of sustainability assessment. Life cycle analysis as a tool of life cycle thinking can be applied to urban planning and development for urban sustainability. This approach has been implemented to urban water systems (UWSs) through the lens of water-energy-carbon nexus. The elements: water consumption, energy use, and carbon emissions from UWSs are intertwined and have complex interactions forming a water-energy-carbon (WEC) nexus. The life cycle-based WEC nexus can be used to assess the sustainability of UWSs in the context of increasing threats to urban water sustainability. UWSs face increasing challenges due to rapid population growth, lower household occupancy, higher prices of water and energy, lifestyle changes, and climate change. This research has developed a decision support system (DSS) for assessing the WEC nexus for sustainable planning and management of UWSs. The developed DSS is capable of quantifying dynamic water consumption, energy use, carbon emissions, and the life cycle cost of UWSs. The DSS can also analyze different WEC-based interventions. The DSS can be used by urban planners, developers, utilities, and policy makers for long-term planning of urban water in communities.

***Cette conférence sera présentée en anglais.

Les conférences-midi du CRAD sont ouvert à tous. Le pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard (FAS) est situé au 2325, rue des Bibliothèques, sur le campus de l’Université Laval