Conference Agenda

The dominant architecture of shipping in the future for a climate-compliant market remains unknown. Previous studies emphasize performance and cost final outcomes, failing to explore the tensions between desirable architectures for these outcomes and feasible pathways to get there. These tensions are critical for real world implementation as action-oriented insights are inevitable to facilitate the investment of various stakeholders. In this paper, we propose a framework to facilitate maritime industry transformation based on three key strategies: project design, computational modeling, and engineering teamwork. Project design, a model-based generative approach for the design of action, explores the innumerable possible pathways of a project trading scope, cost, and schedule. Adequate representation of the project as a socio-technical system with computational models enables exploration of a realistic and broad tradespace. Above all, engaging stakeholders as teams in model building and exploration stimulates learning, flexibility and action. The framework is built by identifying key stakeholders, figure of merits, architectural decision of both solution and project, and the required fidelity of technical, organizational, and economic models. The framework is initially informed by extraction from available references and literature review and then embodied as a computational model available for co- creation and refinement given collective wisdom. A collaborative exploration by the stakeholders using the model yields prospective decisions with hightened attention to interdependency, topological significance, and thus insights to feasible pathways that migth otherwise be hidden or surprising. The framework is evaluated in experiments which test engagement, usefulness and ecological validity during model-based multi-stakeholder workshops.

In the last four decades of reform, China's economy has achieved historic success, propelled by rapid industrialization. However, this growth has adversely affected the environment. Addressing this, China is actively pursuing a balanced development model that harmonizes economic and environmental interests. This study adopts transdisciplinary engineering approach to evaluate the balanced development model from the perspective of green technology innovation efficiency. We first construct the green technology innovation efficiency indicators based on literature review and then integrate them with the super-efficiency SBM-DEA model to evaluate 30 provincial administrative regions in China from 2008 to 2020. Sub-regionally, the eastern, central, and western areas differ significantly from one another. Specifically, developed coastal provinces, certain central, and western provinces have greater levels of efficiency.

Wicked problem refers to a situation with general agreement that change is needed, but with no apparent solutions. Housing affordability, energy poverty, air travel, GDP as a measure of economic prosperity, urban sprawl, landfilling municipal solid waste, fossil fuel and economic growth are wicked problems in most countries. Wicked problems are often neglected in preference for seeking solutions that do not change the unsustainable situation, but rather by making incremental improvements. Transition Engineering research has identified three key reasons why wicked problems defy solutions. Firstly, scientists focus on the harms to people and nature. Warnings of doom take up much of the attention and it is believed that becoming aware is an action. Secondly, the incumbent system resists change, as it is profitable, operating, and a sunk cost. Thirdly, wicked problems are overwhelming, and stifle creative problem solving. The Transition Engineering Wicked Problem Investigation works through a series of discussions focused on a specific place and human need, while considering whole systems and stakeholders. The outcome is the actionable definition of an underlying core issue causing the wicked problem, thus creating the possibility for engineering the transition through net positive initiatives and shift projects. This paper presents the practice-derived Wicked Problem Investigation method and a use case of an investigation workshop with stakeholders. The results show that the Wicked Problem Investigation method can be picked up by transdisciplinary engineers working on engineering the transitions of socio-technological systems, and that stakeholders with wicked problems gain actionable expression of problems.

At present only about 10% of the heat pumps required to achieve net zero by 2050 are being installed in the UK, where the government has set ambitious targets in 2021 to phase out gas boilers by 2035 and replace them with heat pumps in an attempt to address a sociotechnical problem with a technology swap. This paper argues that instead of thinking of decarbonisation as a purely techno-economic challenge, it is necessary to look holistically at the problem from two interwoven perspectives, the technology and the user experience. Heat pumps are expensive and complex, and accessing often inadequate government subsidies is challenging and opaque. It is not enough to offer standard solutions, the technology needs to be adapted in a way that suits the idiosyncrasy of the UK housing stock, consisting largely of individual, often older, homes. We need to understand the design process and supply chain of heating to understand how these can be adapted to the UK market and installed and maintained in a way that UK households’ trust. At the same time, heat pumps need to be seen in the context of other adaptations to domestic housing stock, such as insulation, otherwise heat pump systems end up unnecessarily large or expensive. This paper describes some of the challenges and calls for a systemic, transdisciplinary approach: combining understanding of the social, engineering and policy perspectives. Key to this are systems-based methods and transdisciplinary approaches that enable engineering and engineers to be part of the solution.