Sustainability is a delicate balance of dynamic systems

Advanced Energy & Material Systems Laboratory

Director: Associate Professor Susan Krumdieck
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, New Zealand

Research, Education, Transition Engineering

The AEMSLab is an interdisciplinary research group in the College of Engineering, University of Canterbury. Students and staff work with industry, government, and communities on transition to resilient and environmentally integrated systems. Systems-level engineering research is urgently needed to provide near and long-term solutions for communities, organisations and business.

Transition Engineering

Projects that address the Risks of Un-Sustainability
Transition Re-Development of Urban Form
Urgent & Significant Fossil CO₂ Emissions Reduction
Reduction in Energy and Material Intensity of the Economy
Strategic Analysis of Complex Systems
Post Peak Oil, Carbon Constrained Transportation Systems
Long-Range Future Transition Planning

These complex problems require systems engineering of technologies and infrastructure in the context of often competing economic, social, and environmental factors. Advanced Energy and Material Systems Engineering often involves development of renewable energy or clean technologies. However, real transition projects for companies or communities require a systems engineering approach, creativity and innovation.

Advanced Materials

Thin Film Materials by Pulsed-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (PP-CVD)

Rebuilding Christchurch as a Sustainable City

The resilience of the people of Christchurch is amazing. This is the best place to live in the world. The heritage of construction that people over the last 100 years have built has been lost. The people of the city are making themselves heard - they want investment in their legacy to reflect a new vision. The really big project now is Transition Engineering.

Presentation to Belgian Parliament

Dr. Krumdieck was invited to Europe to present the AEMSLab research on transition of urban forms to deal with oil supply vulnerability. The presentation to the Walloon Parliament in Namur, Belgium is available here to watch. She was also interviewed by three documentary makers and participated in the ASPO9 conference.

National Conference: Signs of Change, 15-16 November 2010

New Zealand's first national "no travel" conference was a huge success! You can watch videos of the 10 minute presentations on YouTube. Follow the conference discussion on the blog. There will be a documentary produced shortly about the conference and the topic of emerging sustainability. There will also be a book published next year which uses some of the conference presentations as examples.
Watch the new documentary about the Signs of Change HERE

Transition Engineering
The Institute of Engineering and Technology selected Dr. Krumdieck as the Prestige Lecturer for 2010. You can watch the lecture HERE. Dr. Krumdieck was also invited to present a lecture on Transition Engineering to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in London September 2011. You can watch this 50 minute presentation HERE.

Transportation Self Evaluation

Find out your car dependence and your risk exposure to fuel price increase. The web program helps you do an "Energy Audit" of your transportation. You don't have to know anything other than your normal schedule, what type of car you drive, where you live, and where you go. The TACA program uses Google Map so all you have to do is fill out a diary with your weekly schedule, and then click on the location in the map. TACA calculates your distance travelled and fuel used. You can then explore what would happen if you changed some of the trips, used a more efficient car, or rode a bike. Over 1000 people have done the TACA Transport Audit so far. We have written a report that shows how people in Chrsitchurch, Oamaru and Dundein travel and how adaptable they are to fuel shocks.