Papers by Karel F . Mulder
The thesis is very simple: Simulation is the future! Growing environmental complexity leaves few ... more The thesis is very simple: Simulation is the future! Growing environmental complexity leaves few alternatives to the use of simulation for planning, controlling and training. We can stipulate to the existence of a cyber environment. There are few who would question the fact that more and more of our activities are dependent upon both sophisticated, interconnected models and computers on which to executive them. Moreover, attendant with this growth are an increasing number of practical operating problems and risks. The thesis of this paper is that simulation offers one of the most fruitful ways to address these issues. Indeed, increasingly, simulation may be the only way to effectively address them. If one agrees with this conclusion, it follows that there is a research agenda that must be implemented to resolve critical open issues.
Experimental Learning in Production Management, 1998
This chapter describes the game 'Remodel'. It has been developed in the Netherlands. It focuses o... more This chapter describes the game 'Remodel'. It has been developed in the Netherlands. It focuses on strategic decisions in regard to technological innovation and environmental regulation. The game stimulates the awareness of science and engineering students for the organisational and political context of their future professions.
The metabolic flows of cities have to be reduced. Thus far, efforts have been mainly directed to ... more The metabolic flows of cities have to be reduced. Thus far, efforts have been mainly directed to providing the city with renewable resources, diminish resource consumption, and/or reuse the wastes and emissions. The dense fabric of urban infrastructures does not only provide a high level of services. By the proximity of infrastructures symbiosis might be created between them. This urban symbiosis might lead to a considerable reduction of resource consumption and/or carbon- and other emissions of all systems involved. However, developing symbiosis between urban infrastructures implies that the owners/operators of the infrastructures are able to align their interests too. This might be problematic as infrastructure operators developed a culture of autonomy. Moreover, they are nowadays owned by various public and private entities that pursue different agendas. The top down planning model of infrastructures appears to be at the end of its life cycle; citizens, businesses and NGO’s reque...
In the 1990s, courses on sustainable development (SD) were introduced in technological universiti... more In the 1990s, courses on sustainable development (SD) were introduced in technological universities. After some years of practice, there is increased interest in the evaluation of the most effective ways for teaching SD. This paper introduces the use of conceptual maps as a tool to measure the knowledge acquired by students when taking a Sustainability course. Pilot measurements have been made to evaluate the concepts and their interrelations in order to evaluate the students’ learning. These measurements were carried out using a sample of more than 700 European students. To measure the learning outcomes of courses, the evaluation is done twice. Before the course starts, the students’ previous knowledge on sustainability is measured; once the students have completed the course they are evaluated again. By comparing conceptual maps drawn by each student, the improvement of the students’ knowledge is evaluated. This paper shows the measuring process, and points out the suitability of ...
Handbook of Sustainability Science and Research, Oct 4, 2017
The 'Grand Challenges' of our times, like climate change, resource depletion, global inequity, an... more The 'Grand Challenges' of our times, like climate change, resource depletion, global inequity, and the destruction of wildlife and biodiversity can only be addressed by innovating cities. Despite the options of tele-working, tele-trading and tele-amusing, that allow people to participate in ever more activities, wherever they are, people are resettling in cities at an unprecedented speed. The forecasted 'rurification' of society did not occur. Technological development has drained rural society from its main source of income, agriculture, as only a marginal fraction of the labour force is employed in agriculture in the rich parts of the world. Moreover, technological innovation created new jobs in the IT and service sectors in cities. Cities are potentially far more resource efficient than rural areas. In a city transport distances are shorter, infrastructures can be applied to provide for essential services in a more efficient way and symbiosis might be developed between various infrastructures. However, in practice, urban infrastructures are not more efficient than rural infrastructures. This paper explores the reasons why. It digs into the reasons why the symbiotic options that are available in cities are not (sufficiently) utilised. The main reason for this is not of an economic nature: Infrastructure organisations are run by experts who are part of a strong paradigmatic community. Dependence on other organisations is regarded as limiting the infrastructure organisation's freedom of action to achieve its own goals. Expert cultures are transferred in education, professional associations, and institutional arrangements. By 3 concrete examples of urban systems, the paper will analyse how various paradigms of experts co-evolved with evolving systems. The paper reflects on recent studies that identified professional education as the initiation into such expert paradigms. It will thereby relate lack of urban innovation to the monodisciplinary education of experts and the strong institutionalised character of expertise .
Today, many new urban areas, such as cities, towns, villages, or districts, are being built world... more Today, many new urban areas, such as cities, towns, villages, or districts, are being built worldwide and their completion requires the development of a number of infrastructures. Traditionally, these infrastructures are planned in parallel. However, increased environmental awareness is pushing cities to improve their environmental performance. One way to do so is by systems integration (e.g. connecting drinking water pumping with energy production). The aim of this paper is to show how different actor networks lead to different process of integration. We especially focus on the influence of actor participation during the design phase. To do so, two case studies are presented: Hammarby Sjostad in Sweden and EVALanxmeer in the Netherlands.
Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems, Jun 1, 2019
Global society is confronted with various challenges: climate change should be mitigated, and soc... more Global society is confronted with various challenges: climate change should be mitigated, and society should adapt to the impacts of climate change, resources will become scarcer and hence resources should be used more efficiently and recovered after use, the growing world population and its growing wealth create unprecedented emissions of pollutants, threatening public health, wildlife and biodiversity. This paper provides an overview of the challenges and risks for sewage systems, next to some opportunities and chances that these developments pose. Some of the challenges are emerging from climate change and resource scarcity, others come from the challenges emerging from stricter regulation of emissions. It also presents risks and threats from within the system, next to external influences which may affect the surroundings of the sewage systems. It finally reflects on barriers to respond to these challenges.
Design studies, 2002
In this paper, we present an action-theoretical account of use and design. Central to this accoun... more In this paper, we present an action-theoretical account of use and design. Central to this account is the notion of a user plan, which leads us to distinguish a cycle of plan design from one of artefact design. We comment on the nature and scope of our account from the perspective of design methodology in general, and we show that it can be employed to analyse the shortcomings of one design method in particular, namely quality function deployment. Finally, we examine some consequences for a philosophy of artefacts and their functions. k
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher …, 2005
... ie scientifically, existentially and politically, and the way values and emotions become an .... more ... ie scientifically, existentially and politically, and the way values and emotions become an ... The field of environmental research evoked thoughts about identity and feelings of uncertainty. ... If we consider an intentional perspective when looking at learners and learning we can ...
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2005
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 2005
Sustainability
In recent years, it has become a commonplace to argue that cities should be the focus point of su... more In recent years, it has become a commonplace to argue that cities should be the focus point of sustainable development [...]
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems
Encyclopedia of International Higher Education Systems and Institutions, 2016
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Papers by Karel F . Mulder
Edited by Karel Mulder, Didac Ferrer and Harro van Lente
September 2011