Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
2.
2.
S
USTAINABILITY
M
ETRICS
Sustainability comprises a complex system approach in the evaluation of
the system state. By its definition sustainability includes the definition of
quality merits without compromising among different aspects of system
complexity [7]. It is of paramount importance for any system as the complex
system to quantify elements of complexity taking into consideration various
degrees of complexity. As regards complexity, the system can be codified as
the specific structure system reflecting different .
Any process is characterized by the entropy production as the measure of
the reversibility of the processes within the system. So, the complexity
element of the system reflecting internal parameter interaction can be defined
by the entropy production in the system. In the complexity definition of the
system, one of the elements is entropy generation of the system or exergy
losses in the process [8]
Complexity elements of the economic indicators structured in different
levels are intrinsic to the specific levels and are measured in different scales.
In the classical evaluation of a system the economic merits are of primary
interest. Since the economic quality is reflecting an optimization function
imposing minimum final product cost, there are a number of parameters,
which are of interest to be taken into consideration in the mathematical model
for the determination of the optimized values required for its evaluation.
Mutual interaction between the system and its surrounding is imminent for
any life support system. As it is known, the system takes material resources
from the surrounding and disposes residuals to the environment. Among those
residuals, the most important are those, which are in gaseous form and are
dissipated into the environment. Also, most of the energy system is disposing
low entropy heat to the environment
The social aspect of complexity is property of the complex system
reflecting the social aspects of the system are the risk of environmental change
as well as health and nuclear hazards; these may have to deal with a compound
of complexity at different levels. Also, under social constrain reflecting social
aspects of complexity of energy system are added values, which improve the
quality of human life (see figure 1).
The technological quality of the system is defined and qualified as the
potential upgrading of the
individual part of the system and also as the
interrelation among the different aspects
.
In the language of complex systems,
this property can be understood as the inherent creativity of the spontaneous
appearance of a novel structure. Thermodynamically, information introduced
