The sustainable systems analysis algorithm: A decision-support and evaluation methodology applied to promote sustainable industrial development

The two main conflicting views among the champions of sustainability are the concepts of critical limits and competing objectives. The Sustainable Systems Analysis Algorithm (SSAA) is a heuristic decision-support and evaluation methodology that is grounded in the competing objectives view, yet it strives to incorporate the critical limits view via the sustainability performance indicators (SPIs) chosen for measurement. It is intended to be germane to many SSA applications ranging from product to process to industrial facility, from local to regional to global. Herein lies a perceived framework for discussing, specifying and analyzing the inter-relationships across competing dimensions, time and space that could foster sustainable decisions. It provides an opportunity to contemplate and comprehend the potential for sustainable design and development strategies for those attempting to view the system as a whole and collaborate efforts toward implementation.; In this continuous improvement process, SPIs being tracked for progress are first selected based on discretionary screening of active stakeholders, assigned an importance weight value and measured using appropriate methods. The resulting calculation, the sustainability directive, enables visualization of how current and scenario-derived activities are or are not contributing toward the sustainability of the system.; The SSAA methodology was applied to promote sustainability and industrial ecology concepts within the wood products sector of the Edisto River Basin (ERB). It was a ‘state of sustainability’ demonstration involving a collaborative effort by a diverse at-large stakeholder group and four wood products company indicator measuring units (IMUs) in an effort to investigate and guide industrial development decisions within the realm of sustainability. This application has been dubbed the Sustainable Industrial Development Simulator (SIDS). An overview of the SSAA methodology and application via SIDS are provided. The analysis revealed that the IMU participants are not contributing toward sustainability within the ERB region. The introduction of IE influenced scenarios, designed to have a positive effect, did in fact improve system performance. It is anticipated that this information will provide the proof of concept needed for the participating IMUs to implement actual subsystem changes to determine if in fact such changes will result in more positive .