Complexity and Timescale of Sustainable Innovation

Complexities:

• Sustainable innovation relies on cooperation between different stakeholders such as government and manufacturing.
  • This is often difficult as both parties have differing views.
  • Sustainable innovation requires a radical change which is time-consuming and expensive so manufacturers are not so willing to consider sustainable innovation.
• It is the broadest approach going beyond technical solutions. This approach is based on a socio-technical systems (interaction between people land technology) intervention rather than just considering product improvement.

• The huge timescale means that sustainability is difficult to maintain as conditions/criteria can change significantly, for example, a lengthy period of economic downturn.
• Sustainable innovation is a hugely complex concept that requires a long time for implementation, typically 20–40 years depending on the nature of the innovation.

Sustainable Strategies

Sustainable use of the planet will require multiple sustainability strategies, which will range from the entire system, the entire Earth, the local or regional.

Strategies starting at the highest system level are referred to as ‘top-down’, and strategies designed for components, local or regional, are referred to as ‘bottom-up’ Integrating top-down/bottom-up sustainability strategies: An ethical challenge (PDF Download Available). [accessed Nov 26, 2015].

Top-down strategies

• Strategies implemented from the ‘top’ such as global or national government initiatives.
• Management of resources, finances (controlling bank rates, etc) and so on.
• It provides targets and measures for sustainability.
• When considering sustainable innovation, designers are usually more comfortable with top-down strategies as it means investment and resources are more predictable and reliable. 

Examples of top-down and bottom-up strategies and the advantages and disadvantages for consumers/users

Bottom-up strategies

• Strategies implemented from the ‘bottom’ such as regional or local (city or town) level.
• These include local initiatives like Planting Tree Campaigns
• Designers involved with bottom-up strategies are usually enthusiasts for the project and willing to make a commitment even though it may not be cost-effective to do so. 

Examples of top-down and bottom-up strategies and the advantages and disadvantages for consumers/users

Government intervention in innovation

There are various strategies that governments use to promote knowledge exchange and technology transfer, including:

• • regulation—setting and policing rules to avoid or limit environmental issues caused by undesirable technologies
    • yet allow the manufacturer to still make profits

• • education—providing consumers with information and guidance in the choice of products and services that are more sustainable
    • such as eco and energy labels

• • taxes—to penalize environmentally damaging technologies and influence consumer choice of sustainable products and services
    • outside Beijing the government is forcing companies to comply or they are fined and ultimately closed down

• subsidies—to stimulate and support sustainable innovations.
  • sustainable innovation can cast the company profits so governments offer financial help or tax breaks.

A potential problem for designers is the changing political scene and associated policies, for example, within the domain of renewable energy.

Macro energy sustainability

Micro energy sustainability

• Micro energy sustainability can be influenced by government, through their role in raising awareness and changing attitudes related to energy use and the promotion of individual and business action towards energy sustainability.
• Local governments installing Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
• Are there any other implications of how micro energy sustainability can be influenced?

Energy security

How energy security can be influenced by energy demand/supply trends and forecasting, demand response versus energy efficiency, and smart grids

• Energy demand is rarely constant and this puts a responsibility on those that generate and manage the flow of energy to understand when peaks and troughs of energy use occur over the course of days, weeks and years.
  • For example, in many countries, energy demand increases substantially during breaks and following popular TV shows as large numbers of people put the kettle on to enjoy a hot beverage.
  • Also, there may be particular periods during the night where energy use is at a minimum. In these situations it is vital that the power-generating stations are informed when to start and stop energy generation.
  • The difficulty arises as massive amounts of electricity cannot easily be stored, excess energy generated at these times is wasted.
  • Demand/supply trends need to be predicted carefully to create a responsive and efficient energy supply.

The internal policies of particular governments have international implications.

Theory of Knowledge