Print this pageThe Natural Step Sustainability Framework
Jim Newton, P.E., DEE
Course Outline
This four hour course provides valuable information for those individuals who participate in the operations and management of businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), governmental agencies and any other individual with an interest in protecting the planet and being a better world citizen. Completion of this course will provide the student the necessary information and testing to meet the continuing education requirements in order to renew their licenses. It was designed by an instructor who has developed and implemented numerous similar training courses.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to
enhance the understanding of the course materials.
Learning Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand The Natural Step (TNS) system conditions;
- Understand how the TNS framework developed;
- Understand the challenge of sustainability;
- Understand the basics of the science of TNS;
- Understand the concept of earth as a system;
- Understand the natural cycle;
- Understand key background information of the 3 system conditions;
- Understand the conditions for success;
- Understand the concept of the funnel;
- Understand backcasting;
- Understand the ABCD concept;
- Understand the 5 level model for planning;
- Understand strategic processes for organizations;
- Understand social sustainability;
- Understand the 3 levels of social sustainability;
- Understand how to put TNS into practice; and
- Understand TNS in the business sector.
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this course is any professional who is involved in the operation and management of businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), governmental agencies and any other individual with an interest in protecting the planet and being a better world citizen.
Benefit to Attendees
Attendees of this course will under stand the basic concepts of sustainability and how to implement these.
Course Introduction
In recent years sustainability has gained significant momentum. Many large corporations such as Nike, Wal-Mart, and McDonald’s are embracing the concepts of sustainability. Both large corporations and small non profits all are seeing benefits to incorporating sustainability concerns into their business models. Many businesses have become sensitive to social and stakeholder issues. Dr. Karl Henrik Robert formulated with the help of over 100 Swedish scientists, four system conditions of a sustainable society.
These include:
- Nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances extracted from the Earth’s crust;
- Nature is not subject to systematically increasing concentrations of substances produced by society;
- Nature is not subject to systematically increasing degradation by physical means; and
- People are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs.
This course is designed to provide engineering professionals with an understanding of The Natural Step sustainability concepts and a means of implementing these concepts into their business models.
Course Content
This course is based upon the following book:
The Natural Step Towards a Sustainable Society by David Cook, which is available in your local library or from Amazon.com, Borders, or Barnes and Nobles. You may be able to find an electronic version from e-bookstores on the Internet if time is of essence (enter search phrase "Making Sustainability Work PDF" in Google) or as a Kindle version from Amazon.
Course Summary
This course discusses basic The Natural Step sustainability concepts and models and how to implement them.
Related Links
Some of these links offer reviews of the text:
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
