 |
Urban Sustainability
Urban Sustainability
The Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice University is located in Houston, Texas -- the nation's fourth largest city. Houston has experienced extraordinary growth for a decade and a half, and the U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2050, the city will be among four in the United States to attain the status of "mega city."
Geographic location is of particular strategic importance for the study of sustainability: Houston is the center of both the energy industry and the world's largest petrochemical complex, and it boasts a world-renowned medical center. The economic and environmental consequences of these characteristics are substantial, with great relevance for both developed and developing nations.
The Shell Center serves as a forum for addressing critical issues related to local, regional, national and international sustainability. An important focus is on the sustainability of urban areas and major coastal cities. The center has sponsored conferences and seminars on sustainability challenges facing Houston, including water quality, flooding, air quality, and possible scenarios for the city's future. Critical global issues affecting HoustonÕs sustainabilty have also been addressed in conferences, including carbon management, climate change, and China and sustainable development. In its outreach activities, the Center draws upon the expertise and viewpoints of diverse representatives from academia, business, government, and nongovernmental organizations.
The Center has also supported research undertaken by Rice faculty on such critical topics related to urban sustainability as air-quality, water treatment, stakeholder relations, and biodiversity.
.
|