UNCC DesComp Ideas

Ideas Seminar: Thomas Gentry

Date: September 13, 2013

Thomas Gentry is a Professor in the School of Architecture and Director of the Laboratory for Innovative Housing, a multidisciplinary research laboratory operating within the IDEAS (Infrastructure Design Environment and Sustainability) Center. He briefly explained about IDEAS Center projects ranging from complex infrastructure systems and residential housing developments, to innovative material design and ecosystem impact studies.

He presented how sustainability issues can be addressed more comprehensively and how a similar common understanding of social sustainability. Economic, environmental and social are interrelated. Economic vitality relies on the integrity of healthy ecosystems, which hold the Earth’s resources. Likewise, economic and social well-being is linked, as illustrated through the recent recession. Environmental and social well-being are similarly connected, as seen in cases when people who live in poverty and are socially marginalized end up living in places with environmental issues that are caused by people who are more affluent and less socially marginal. Despite its critical connections to the other two pillars, social sustainability is the least understood and defined. Broadly speaking, social sustainability looks at relationships, interactions and institutions that affect and are affected by sustainable development. People often hold a wide variety of perspectives on what social sustainability is and how it can be discussed, implemented and assessed.

The IDEAS Center has established with several other entities, including representatives from civil, mechanical, electrical and systems engineering; architecture, biology, business, chemistry, geography and earth science, psychology, public health, and sociology. Especially Professor focuses on building code I think, this unique and highly collaborative environment research is important, because the team would include all the disciplines and stakeholders relevant to the project. These people would approach the work with an attitude of optimism and excitement to contribute their skills, perspectives, resources and knowledge to the group.