Title: Contextualized Decision-Making to Overcome Barriers to Sanitation and Resource Recovery
Advisor: Jeremy S. Guest
Date: Thursday, December 15th, 1:00 pm
Location: Civil and Environmental Engineering Building (Hydrosystems Laboratory) 2015
Zoom Location: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/89109188464?pwd=dlBKOUlUQzBJRmxCSGx1cFBlNGNrQT09
Abstract
Sanitation decision-making requires a clear understanding of the salient features of a community or context that drive the relative sustainability of potential solutions. Quantitative sustainable design (QSD), a methodology used to link system design to sustainability indicators, can inform decision-making for sanitation and resource recovery through evaluation of tradeoffs across the dimensions of sustainability (e.g., environmental, economic, human health, social, technical). However, to be useful for decision-making, sustainability evaluations must be adapted to address context-specific objectives and constraints. Through three studies, this research explores the use of QSD techniques across sanitation decision-making scales (from local decision-making in an informal settlement to a global evaluation across 77 countries) under varied decision-making priorities. In the first study, an economic evaluation is conducted on a local scale in Kampala, Uganda to determine if nutrient recovery from sanitation can be a profitable business opportunity. The analysis incorporates locally collected unit costs and relevant resource recovery alternatives feasible to the constraints and priorities of the community. The second study scales up QSD for the economic and environmental evaluation of sanitation alternatives across 77 countries to assess how implementation context influences the relative sustainability of sanitation systems and decision-making across the sanitation opportunity space. Finally, the third study focuses on the development of a multi-criteria decision analysis package that can be used both for local and global sanitation and resource recovery decision-making to evaluate tradeoffs across dimensions of sustainability. Overall, this research seeks to guide sanitation and resource recovery decision-making efforts through use of QSD across spatial scales and decision-making priorities.
