Welcome

The Sustainability Society is a Learned Society established to foster sustainability engineering. The Society provides training and fosters dialogue on sustainability through workshops, seminars, forums and international conferences. It takes a complex systems approach to sustainability, recognising that human and natural systems are increasingly interconnected and interdependent. Formed in 2003 (as NZSSES), The Sustainability Society is a Technical Interest Group of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ). The Sustainability Society is the new name for NZSSES, having rebranded in July 2011.


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Upcoming Events

Forum #30 – Future Paradigms for Energy
Friday 24 February 2012

2012 International Speaker Winter Workshop Series – 23-27 July
David A Hood FIEAust CPEng FIPENZ FISEAM

2012 Lecture & Workshop Tour – March/April
Dr Ron McDowall ONZM

Click here for more information.


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Recent News

1. The Sustainability Society extends its congratulations to Ron McDowall who has become an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM).

2. The Sustainability Society extends its congratulations to Executive Committee member, Caleb Clarke, who has won the WaterNZ Young Water Industry Professional of the Year award for 2011. This award is sponsored by CH2M BECA and is presented to a recipient each year “in recognition of their demonstrable exceptional achievement in the early stages of their career in the New Zealand Water industry”.


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2012 Conference

The Sustainability Society wishes to announce the launch of its 5th International Conference
Sustainability by Design: Breaking the Silos
27 – 30 November 2012
The University of Auckland

Conference Announcement
Call for Papers

Download: Official Conference Announcement (90KB PDF)


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2012: 5th International Conference

The Sustainability Society wishes to announce the launch of its 5th International Conference
Sustainability by Design: breaking the silos
27 – 30 November 2012
at the University of Auckland

You are invited to submit an abstract of 300 words for a paper to be considered for presentation at the conference. The overarching theme of the conference is Design for Sustainability in 2060. Taking into account the design element and predetermined assumptions about things we can’t change (eg: human needs, population growth, climate change, resource depletion) papers are asked to address the following:

  • Mobility - How we get around
  • Resources - What we use (e.g. water, energy, food)  and how we get them (e.g. delivery mechanisms, infrastructure)
  • Liveability - How and where we live (e.g. lifestyles, housing,materials)

Abstracts are due by 10 April 2012

For the first time, aside from the academic papers we are also inviting abstracts for papers on best practice from sustainability practitioners. Please note that these papers should not be of a commercial nature promoting the sale of services or products but should concentrate on the design of systems and services that offer best practice outcomes.

In addition to the usual line up of exciting keynote speakers, parallel papers on the latest research and its practicable applications, and workshops there are refreshing ideas for a new structure and format. Over three days the conference will:

  • Envision what we have to do to be sustainable in 2060
  • Develop decade-based milestones to assist in achieving this outcome
  • Set the plan – with strategic goals to ensure it comes to fruition.

Download: Official Conference Announcement (90KB PDF)