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Sustainable development

Sustainable Urban Infrastructure Transitions: A Study on Orlando's Circular Economy

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research on energy and renewable energy is discussed in a new report highlighting the challenges faced by urban areas such as Orlando, Florida. Urban regions often grapple with multiple stressors, including food security, congestion, energy shortages, and water pollution, requiring better infrastructure systems. A system dynamics model was explored to portray material and energy flows across the food, energy, water, and waste sectors, aiming to account for urban sustainability transitions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The University of Central Florida's research utilized a system dynamics model (SDM) to investigate the interlinkages between the food, energy, water, and waste (FEWW) sectors in the Orlando region.
  • The SDM explored four case studies, evaluating climate change impacts, policy instruments, and land use teleconnections for waste management in the FEWW nexus, demonstrating regional synergies among these components.
  • The research identified the vital components of the integrated FEWW infrastructure system, including urban agriculture, energy from the Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center, reclaimed wastewater, and solid waste management.
  • The study concluded that a circular economy approach can be achieved through sustainable transitions in the FEWW sectors, facilitated by renewable energy harvesting and stormwater reuse.
  • The goal of this research is to provide a living laboratory approach for a circular economy in Orlando, demonstrating regional synergies among the FEWW components.
  • A multicriteria decision-making framework coupled with cost-benefit-risk tradeoff analysis supported the selection of case 4 as the most appropriate option, providing greater renewable energy production and stormwater reuse.
  • The research relied on financial support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and received peer-review approval.

Statistics:

  • 4 case studies were evaluated in the research, exploring climate change impacts, policy instruments, and land use teleconnections for waste management in the FEWW nexus.
  • The study demonstrated regional synergies among the components of the integrated FEWW infrastructure system, including urban agriculture, energy, reclaimed wastewater, and solid waste management.
  • 4 components were identified as vital to the integrated FEWW infrastructure system: urban agriculture, energy from the Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center, reclaimed wastewater, and solid waste management.
  • A circular economy approach was identified as a goal of the research, facilitated by renewable energy harvesting and stormwater reuse.

Sources:

  • Sustainability Transitions of Urban Food-energy-water-waste Infrastructure: a Living Laboratory Approach for Circular Economy

+ Resources Conservation and Recycling, 2022; 177

+ Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands

  • NewsRx LLC, (2022) New Data from University of Central Florida Illuminate Findings in Renewable Energy (Sustainability Transitions of Urban Food-energy-water-waste Infrastructure: a Living Laboratory Approach for Circular Economy)

+ Ecology, Environment & Conservation. February 11, 2022; p 494

  • University of Central Florida, Dept. of Civil Environmental & Construction Engineering, 4000 Cent Florida Blvd, Orlando, FL 32816, United States
  • National Science Foundation (NSF)

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