November 30th 2011

Extreme events like Australia’s bushfires, recent drought, the Queensland floods and even the earthquakes in Christchurch and Japan, reveal the vulnerabilities we face daily. Our civilized consumer lifestyles depend on ‘everything working’, without delay. We regard interruptions to the gentle flow and basic conveniences of our lives as personal affronts – outrages which governments must quickly fix – at no extra cost!

This public lecture takes stock of our modern urban lifestyle. It explores how society is faring in handling the natural and social threats that affect us and considers how all spheres within the community must be responsible for solving the complex challenge of achieving sustainable cities.

Professor Keith Crews
Keith Crews is UTS Professor of Structural Engineering and Deputy Director of the UTS Centre for Built Infrastructure Research. In the mid 1980’s he realised that sustainably produced timber had enormous potential for non residential buildings as a uniquely renewable carbon storage material.His research has revealed that much of the infrastructure supporting our cities is deteriorating – a fact rarely publicised. His commitment to sustainable infrastructure has led to numerous research projects to develop new technologies that extend the life of structures, rather than replace them.

Professor Stuart White
Stuart White is the Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at UTS. Over the past 25 years he has researched, written and lectured widely on the issue of achieving sustainable futures, with an emphasis on resource use and improved decision-making. He is a regular commentator in the media on a wide range of sustainability issues concerning efficient use of water, energy and increasingly rare materials, such as phosphate rock used for fertiliser in food production.

Resources

• flyer (PDF 225k)

UTSPEAKS: is a free public lecture series presented by UTS experts discussing a range of important issues confronting contemporary Australia