Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering: the development of a definition

18 May 2010
02:20 PM
Louwrence D. Erasmus
Graduate School of Technology Management
University of Pretoria

Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the engineering of systems for use in life cycles that are sustainable.

By evaluating the definitions for sustainable as per:

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable
• wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• www.songpapers.com/Paper_Glossary.html
• www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/glossary/index.cfm
• weblife.org/humanure/glossary.html
• www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/grants/Glossary.doc
• www.enickel.co.uk/About-Enickel/Glossary
• 64.34.71.145/Page.asp
• www.nmfs.vt.edu/case_studies/mpa/glossary.php
• agsci.oregonstate.edu/orb/biotechnology-terms
• www.umpqua-watersheds.org/glossary/gloss_s.html
the above definition can be expanded as:
Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the engineering of systems for use in life cycles in such a manner
that the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources is maintained by the systems' intended
configuring of processes and functions so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet
their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving resources, biodiversity
and natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations.

Biodiversity and ecosystems are not defined and the links for there definitions are embedded in the text.

By evaluating the definitions for Engineering as defined by:

• wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering
• en.wiktionary.org/wiki/engineering
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineers;
the definition is further expanded to read:
Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the discipline and art in which a knowledge of the mathematical
and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to specify
practical systems for use in life cycles in such a manner that the utilisation of ecosystems and their
resources is maintained by the systems' intended configuring of processes and functions so that society,
its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the
present, while preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems for the needs or options for
future generations.

How should a life cycle be defined in the context of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering?
Many definitions exists which can roughly summarised as:
• From cradle to grave.
• Sperm to worm.
• Lust to dust.
In modern systems engineering, see ISO15288, a lust to dust definition is used and should also be used
for Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering instead of the current practise of cradle to grave.

A life cycle in the context of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering for industrial and energy plants consist of
the following stages:
• research and development,
• designing,
• manufacturing,
• construction,
• commissioning,
• operation,
• maintenance and

SLCE Page 1
• maintenance and
• decommissioning
By applying ISO15288 to the above defined life cycle, each stage has its own life cycle stages as well. This
defines a fractal that can be repeated for each lower level sub-stage indefinitely . This introduces
complexity into the definition of life cycles and should be taken into account during management (i.e.
planning, implementation, execution and monitoring) of life cycles.

The Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering definition can be expanded to read:

Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the discipline and art in which a knowledge of the mathematical and
natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to specify practical
systems for research, development, designing, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, operation,
maintenance and decommissioning in such a manner that the utilisation of ecosystems and their
resources is maintained by the systems' intended configuring of processes and functions so that society,
its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the
present, while preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems for the needs or options for
future generations.

Many definition for a system exists. The definition of INCOSE is preferred

http://www.incose.org/practice/fellowsconsensus.aspx.

The incorporation of this definition leads to:

Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the discipline and art in which a knowledge of the mathematical
and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to specify
practical constructs or collection of different elements (that can include people, hardware,
software, facilities, policies, and documents) that together (primarily through the relationship
among the elements) produce results not obtainable by the elements alone for research,
development, designing, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance and
decommissioning in such a manner that the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources is
maintained by the systems' intended configuring of qualities, properties, characteristics, functions,
behaviour and performance so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their
needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving resources, biodiversity and
natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations.

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 Elements of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
19 May 2010
07:12 PM
Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the discipline and art in which a knowledge of the mathematical
and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to specify
practical constructs or collection of different elements (that can include people, hardware, software,
facilities, policies, and documents) that together (primarily through the relationship among the
elements) produce results not obtainable by the elements alone for research, development,
designing, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, decommissioning
and rehabilitation in such a manner that the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources is
maintained by the systems' intended configuring of qualities, properties, characteristics, functions,
behaviour and performance so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their
needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving resources, biodiversity
and natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations.

• knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice
• specify practical constructs or collection of different elements primarily through the relationship
among them
• research, development, designing, manufacturing, construction, commissioning, operation,
maintenance and decommissioning
• the systems' intended configuring of qualities, properties, characteristics, functions, behaviour and
performance
• meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving resources,
biodiversity and natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations

Hypothesis 1:
The objectives of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering can be achieved through the application of a
variation on the Systems Engineering Process as per ISO 26702 and ISO 15288.

Hypothesis 2:
The management of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering can be achieved through the application of a
variation of the ISO 15288 in conjunction with ISO14000 series. (By applying ISO15288, ISO9000

Outcomes for the research:

• Proposals for national and international best practises in the development and design of industrial
and energy plants based on current practises for Systems Engineering and Systems Engineering
research.
○ Identification of the stakeholder classes and the role players in them, e.g. UN, Government,
Investors, Owners, Operators, Workers, Society, etc.
○ A process for performing Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
○ Methods for managing the Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
○ Methods for performing Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
• Specifications for typical tools to support the Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering process
• How to support a typical regulatory process with the necessary technical information from
Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering, e.g. an IEA, NEA and IAEA regulatory frameworks and all its
derived requirements documents and guidelines. The NERSA and NNR frameworks can then be
measured against the IAEA, NEA and IEA recommended frameworks. Determine if the USA regulatory
framework can be used in a South African context.
○ Hypothesis 3: The USA regulatory frameworks cannot be applied to the South African
environment.
○ Hypothesis 4: IEA and IAEA frameworks can be applied to the South African environment.
• Does South African legislation and regulatory frameworks support Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
process?
• How does Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering process support the national priorities of the South
African Government?
• Profile requirements for managers and engineers who wants to practise Sustainable Life Cycle
Engineering.
• The training requirements for managers and engineers who wants to practise Sustainable Life Cycle

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 Engineering.
• The training requirements for managers and engineers who wants to practise Sustainable Life Cycle
Engineering.
• Specification of the national support network (similar to INPO, NEI and EPRI in the USA and WANO on
international level) that needs to be in place to support Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering.
• Interface definitions and specifications with current professional organisations.
• Integration specification of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering with programme management.
• A typical Sustainable Life Cycle Management Plan.
○ Required deliverables per stage
○ Integration of different disciplines and specialities
○ The level of input required from the various disciplines and specialities, e.g. on this level the
design calculations and design innovations that leads to a specific material choice for a heat
exchanger or power pipe bears no meaningful input to the integration of a sustainable life
cycle, but the material's life cycle is more of interest as well as the qualification level of the
engineer doing the design, the material technician making the material and the maintenance
personnel maintaining the heat exchanger together with the applicable procedures and
information systems.

Possible areas of cooperation with other disciplines and specialities:

• Mathematics including applied mathematics, statistics and operational research.
• The various EBIT disciplines.
• Environmental sciences
• Natural sciences
• Economics
• Sociology
• Political Sciences
• Law
• Philosophy
• Strategic and future studies
• Etc.

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 Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering
20 May 2010
10:26 AM

Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering is the engineering of systems for use in life cycles that are sustainable

By analysing this statement using the criteria for well-formed requirements in IEEE Std 1233-1998, the
definition can be decomposed as:

Capability: ... engineering of systems ...

Capability: create systems
Condition: through engineering
Condition: ... for use in life cycles ...
Constraint: ... that are sustainable

A functional analysis per IEEE Std 1220 - 1998 is done on the definition and the result can be expressed
as a IDEF0 diagram in accordance with IEEE Std 1320.1 - 1998 as:
life cycle criteria sustainability criteria
sustainability criteria
engineering criteria
Execute life cycle

create systems Engineered sustainable

life cycle systems

The meanings of "engineering", "systems", "life cycle" and "sustainable" should be unpacked to derive
more detailed requirements.

Definition (Engineering): Engineering is the discipline, art and profession of

1. acquiring technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge gained by study, experience, and practice;
and
2. applying ingenuity and acquired knowledge with judgment to economically and safely develop, design
and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes within technical
constraints using the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of humanity.

By analysing this definition using the criteria for well-formed requirements in IEEE Std 1233-1998, the
definition can be decomposed as:

Part 1:
Capability: discipline, art and profession of acquiring ... knowledge ...
Condition: ... gained by study, experience, and practice
Constraint: ... technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge ...

Part 2:
Capability: discipline, art and profession of applying ingenuity and acquired knowledge ...
Condition: ... with judgment ...
Constraint: ... to economically and safely develop, design and implement materials, structures,
machines, devices, systems, and processes ...
Constraint: ... within technical constraints ...
Constraint: ... using the materials and forces of nature ...
Constraint: ... for the benefit of humanity.

A functional analysis per IEEE Std 1220 - 1998 is done on the definition and the result can be expressed
as a IDEF0 diagram in accordance with IEEE Std 1320.1 - 1998 as:

practise

experience
ingenuity
study economical
safety
technical engineering
science knowledge judgment
acquire knowledge
mathematics technical constraints
human benefit

engineer materials, structures, machines, devices,

apply knowledge to systems, and processes
Practical problem develop, design or
implement experience

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 engineer
the materials and forces of nature

Definition (System): A system is a construct or collection of different elements (which can include
people, hardware, software, facilities, policies, and documents) that together produce qualities,
properties, characteristics, functions, behaviour and performance primarily created by the relationship
amongst the elements.

qualities, properties, characteristics,

functions, behaviour and performance

develop, design Element construct or collection with relationships

or implement
system

different elements

Many definitions exists which can roughly summarised as:

• From cradle to grave.
• Sperm to worm.
• Lust to dust.
In modern systems engineering, see ISO15288, a lust to dust definition is used and should also be used
for Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering instead of the current practise of cradle to grave.

A life cycle in the context of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering for industrial and energy plants consist of
the following stages:
• research and development,
• designing,
• manufacturing,
• construction,
• commissioning,
• operation,
• maintenance and
• decommissioning
• green fields rehabilitation
By applying ISO15288 to the above defined life cycle, each stage has its own life cycle stages as well. A
life cycle fractal is defined by repeating the life cycle definition for each lower level sub-stage
indefinitely . This introduces complexity into the definition of life cycles and should be taken into
account during management (i.e. planning, implementation, execution and monitoring) of life cycles.

In the execution of the life cycle, all stages and sub-stages are executed in a logical order and sub-stages
can also be executed in parallel. From the fractal nature of a life cycle, it follows that theoretically an
infinite number of sub-phases can be executed in parallel and sequentially.

A functional construct that is repeated for each stage and sub-stage in a life cycle, by replacing <life cycle
stage> with the specific stage or sub-stage instance, is:

<life cycle stage> controls

<life cycle stage> input <life cycle stage> output

execute <life cycle stage>

<life cycle stage> mechanisms or

means

Definition: (Sustainability) Sustainability is the configuration of systems to maintain the utilisation of

ecosystems and their resources so that a society, its members and its economies are able to meet their
needs and express their greatest potential in the present while preserving resources, biodiversity and
natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations.

Capability: ...the configuration of systems ...

Condition: ... to maintain the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources ...
Constraint: ... so that a society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express
their greatest potential in the present ...

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their greatest potential in the present ...
Constraint: ... while preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems for the needs or options
for future generations.

preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems

present needs and greatest potential of society, its members and its economies

utilisation of ecosystems

configure systems Engineered sustainable

life cycle systems

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Engineering
18 May 2010
02:26 PM
The following definitions for engineering are used for the analysis:
• the discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to
practical problems
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Capability: the art or science of applying scientific knowledge ...

Condition: ... to practical problems

• Engineering is the discipline, art and profession of acquiring and applying

technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge to design and implement
materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that safely realize
a desired objective or inventions.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineering

Capability: the discipline, art and profession of acquiring and applying technical,
scientific and mathematical knowledge ...
Condition: ... to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices,
systems, and processes ...
Constraint: ... that safely realize a desired objective or inventions.

• the application of science to the needs of humanity

• the work of an engineer
• the profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural sciences
gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with judgment to develop
ways to use economically the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of
mankind
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/engineering

Capability: the application of science ...

Condition: to the needs of humanity

Capability: the profession in which a knowledge of mathematics and the natural

sciences ... is applied ...
Constraint: ... knowledge ... gained by study, experience, and practice
Constraint: ... is applied with judgment ...
Condition: ... to develop ways ... to use ... the materials and forces of nature
Constraint: ... to use economically ...
Condition: ... for the benefit of mankind

• engineer - design as an engineer; "He engineered the water supply project"

• engineer - a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
• engineer - mastermind: plan and direct (a complex undertaking)
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

• Engineers work to develop economic and safe solutions to practical problems, by

applying mathematics, scientific knowledge and ingenuity while considering
technical constraints. The term is derived from the Latin root "ingenium," meaning
"cleverness". The industrial revolution and continuing technological developments
of the last few centuries have changed the connotation of the term slightly,
resulting in the perception of engineers as applied scientists. The work of
engineers is the link between perceived needs of society and commercial
applications.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineers

Rephrase: Engineers applying mathematics, scientific knowledge and ingenuity to

develop economic and safe solutions to practical problems while considering
technical constraints.

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 Capability: ... applying mathematics, scientific knowledge and ingenuity ...
Condition: ... to practical problems ...
Constraint: ... to develop economic and safe solutions ...
Constraint: ... while considering technical constraints.

Based on the above definitions and explanations, it can be said that:

• Engineer as verb means to scientifically plan, direct and design to meet specific
goals practically within technical constraints
• Engineering means the work of a person who uses scientific knowledge to solve
practical problems
• Engineering is a link between perceived needs of society and practical solutions.

Consolidating the capabilities:

Capability: the art or science of applying scientific knowledge ...
Capability: the discipline, art and profession of acquiring and applying technical, scientific and
mathematical knowledge ...
Capability: the application of science ...
Capability: the profession in which a knowledge of mathematics and the natural sciences ... is
applied ...
Capability: ... applying mathematics, scientific knowledge and ingenuity ...

Resulting capability:
the discipline, art and profession of
1. acquiring technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge
2. applying ingenuity and acquired knowledge

Consolidating the conditions and constraints:

Constraint: ... knowledge ... gained by study, experience, and practice

Resulting condition 1(a): ... gained by study, experience, and practice

Constraint: ... is applied with judgment ...

Resulting condition 2(a): ... with judgment ...

Condition: to the needs of humanity

Condition: ... for the benefit of mankind

Resulting condition 2(b): ... for the benefit of humanity

Condition: ... to practical problems

Condition: ... to practical problems ...
Condition: ... to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and
processes ...
Condition: ... to develop ways ... to use ... the materials and forces of nature
Constraint: ... while considering technical constraints.
Constraint: ... to use economically ...
Constraint: ... to develop economic and safe solutions ...
Constraint: ... that safely realize a desired objective or inventions.

Resulting condition 2(c): ... to economically and safely develop, design and implement materials,
structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes within technical constraints using the materials
and forces of nature ...

The above analysis is used in the synthesis to arrive at the following consolidated definition for
engineering:

Definition (Engineering): Engineering is the discipline, art and profession of

SLCE Page 9
 Definition (Engineering): Engineering is the discipline, art and profession of
1. acquiring technical, scientific and mathematical knowledge gained by study, experience, and practice;
and
2. applying ingenuity and acquired knowledge with judgment to economically and safely develop, design
and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes within technical
constraints using the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of humanity.

SLCE Page 10
System
19 May 2010
05:30 PM
Many definition for a system exists. The definition of INCOSE is preferred as departure point:

A system is a construct or collection of different elements that together produce results not obtainable
by the elements alone. The elements, or parts, can include people, hardware, software, facilities,
policies, and documents; that is, all things required to produce systems-level results. The results include
system level qualities, properties, characteristics, functions, behavior and performance. The value added
by the system as a whole, beyond that contributed independently by the parts, is primarily created by
the relationship among the parts; that is, how they are interconnected (Rechtin, 2000).

Pasted from <http://www.incose.org/practice/fellowsconsensus.aspx>

Rephrasing this definition, it can be stated that

Definition (System): A system is a construct or collection of different elements (which can include
people, hardware, software, facilities, policies, and documents) that together produce qualities,
properties, characteristics, functions, behaviour and performance primarily created by the relationship
amongst the elements.

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 Life Cycle
18 May 2010
02:25 PM
Definitions of life cycle on the Web:
• a series of stages through which an organism passes between recurrences of a primary stage
• the course of developmental changes in an organism from fertilized zygote to maturity when
another zygote can be produced
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other
through means of reproduction, whether through ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_cycle_(biology)
• consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw material acquisition or
generation of natural resources to the final disposal
www.lcacenter.org/LCA/LCA-definitions.html
• The life span of a record comprised of eight sequential stages; creation or receipt; classification;
maintenance and use; disposition through destruction or transfer to an archives; description in
archival finding aids; preservation; reference and use.
www.library.utoronto.ca/utarms/info/glossary.html
• refers to the period of time between when a document is archived and when it is destroyed.
www.mindwrap.com/infoblurbs/infoblurbs.html
• the stage or successive stages in the growth and development of an organism that occur between
the appearance and reappearance of the same stage (eg spore) of the organism
www.inbar.int/publication/txt/tr10/glossary1.htm
• The complete sequence of events undergone by organisms of a particular species, from the fusion
of gametes in one generation to the same stage in the following generation.
www.fao.org/docrep/003/x3910e/x3910e15.htm
• A series of growth stages through which a plant must pass in its natural lifetime: the stages for an
annual plant are seed, seedling, vegetative and floral.
www.ngoye.com/content/view/17/33/
• The time from the beginning of the systems project to the replacement of the system. This
includes the time that the system will be operational as well as the time needed to develop and
implement the system.
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/systems/sacwis/cbaguide/appendixb.htm
• the series of stages in the life of a living thing
www.teachervision.fen.com/animals/vocabulary/5295.html
• the set of states a person goes through from birth to death.
oregonstate.edu/instruct/anth370/gloss.html
• The complete succession of changes undergone by an organism during its life. A new cycle occurs
when an identical succession of changes is initiated. (20)
www.plantpath.cornell.edu/glossary/Defs_L.htm
• Winged males and female carpenter ants engage in a nuptial flight in late spring and early
summer. Mating occurs in midair, after which the queen ...
www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_si/nmnh/buginfo/ants.htm
• A progressive series of changes undergone by an organism - such as from fertilisation to death.
www.arthritisnsw.org.au/research/glossary.html

Pasted from <http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=DQM&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%

3Aofficial&channel=s&q=define%3A+life+cycle&btnG=Search&meta=>

Many definitions exists which can roughly summarised as:

• From cradle to grave.
• Sperm to worm.
• Lust to dust.
In modern systems engineering, see ISO15288, a lust to dust definition is used and should also be used
for Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering instead of the current practise of cradle to grave.

A life cycle in the context of Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering for industrial and energy plants consist of
the following stages:
• research,
• development,

SLCE Page 12
• research,
• development,
• designing,
• manufacturing,
• construction,
• commissioning,
• operation,
• maintenance and
• decommissioning
• green fields rehabilitation
By applying ISO15288 to the above defined life cycle, each stage has its own life cycle stages as well. This
defines a fractal that can be repeated for each lower level sub-stage indefinitely . This introduces
complexity into the definition of life cycles and should be taken into account during management (i.e.
planning, implementation, execution and monitoring) of life cycles.

SLCE Page 13
Sustainable
18 May 2010
02:24 PM
Definition of:
Definitions of sustainable on the Web:
• capable of being sustained
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Sustainability, in a broad sense, is the capacity to endure. In ecology, the
word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive
over time. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable
• able to be sustained; able to be sustained for an indefinite period without
damaging the environment, or without depleting a resource; renewable
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sustainable
• sustainability - the property of being sustainable
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• sustainability - the ability to sustain something; a means of configuring
civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its
economies are able ...b
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sustainability
• Development practices that are inclusive of business, social and
environmental goals.
www.songpapers.com/Paper_Glossary.html
• Something that can endure or is able to be maintained for long periods of
time.
www.glenelg-hopkins.vic.gov.au/
• The ability to continue/maintain into the future.
www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/glossary/index.cfm
• Able to be continued indefinitely without a significant negative impact on
the environment or its inhabitants.
weblife.org/humanure/glossary.html
• Sustainability, in a general sense, is the capacity to maintain a certain
process or state indefinitely. ...
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/grants/Glossary.doc
• Sustainable development requires that environmental sustainable
protection does not preclude economic development and that
Development economic development must be ecologically viable now and
in the long run. ...
www.enickel.co.uk/About-Enickel/Glossary
• sustainability - An attempt to provide the best outcomes for human and
natural environments both now and into the indefinite future.
64.34.71.145/Page.asp
• sustainability - The use of ecosystems and their resources in a manner that
satisfies current needs without compromising the needs or options of
future generations.
www.nmfs.vt.edu/case_studies/mpa/glossary.php
• sustainability - meeting the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
agsci.oregonstate.edu/orb/biotechnology-terms
• sustainability - The ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological
processes and functions, biological diversity, and productivity over time.
www.umpqua-watersheds.org/glossary/gloss_s.html

Pasted from <http://www.google.co.za/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%

3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=define%3A+sustainable&meta=&btnG=Google+Search>

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By evaluating the definitions for sustainable and sustainability it can be stated
that: Sustainability is the requirement to do something in such a manner that
the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources is maintained by the
configuring of processes and functions so that a society, its members and its
economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in
the present, while preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems
for the needs or options for future generations.

The definitions for biodiversity and ecosystems are outside the scope of this
paper and the links for there definitions are embedded in the text.

Capability: ... to do something ...

Constraint: ... in such a manner that the utilisation of ecosystems and their
resources is maintained by the intended configuring of processes and
functions ...
Rephrased: in such a manner that the configuration of processes and
functions maintain the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources
Capability: configure processes and functions
Condition: maintain the utilisation of ecosystems and their
resources
Condition: ... so that a society, its members and its economies are able to meet
their needs and express their greatest potential in the present ...
Constraint: ... while preserving resources, biodiversity and natural ecosystems
for the needs or options for future generations.

By evaluating the above analysis, and replacing processes and functions with the
broader term system, it can be stated that:

Definition: (Sustainability) Sustainability is the configuration of systems to

maintain the utilisation of ecosystems and their resources so that a society, its
members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their
greatest potential in the present while preserving resources, biodiversity and
natural ecosystems for the needs or options for future generations.

SLCE Page 15