RMSST Student Showcase

Rachel ReadFebruary 12, 2012Rockdale Magnet School Of Science and Technology

Determining Sustainability Standards Using Computerized Simulations

Statement of Problem

• As the world population grows to over 7 billion people there will be a decrease in the number of available resources.– We need to limit resource use and one way to

do this is through the use of sustainable practices.

• Because sustainability is such a relative subject there is confusion in the field as to what is sustainable and what is not.

• Everyone is working toward different ideas of sustainability.

Experimental Goal

• The goal of this experiment is to create a set criterion or list of standards to determine what makes a city sustainable and to finally unify the idea of sustainability into one defined list in order to specify the idea of sustainability.

Project Overview

• In this project standards were created based off of research completed upon sustainable practices and standards.– Two cities were made in two different

computer simulations.• Sim City• Cities XL

– The results of each simulation will be compared to one another and the standards will then be adjusted.

Research

• Sustainability – Balance between resources needed to support this generation and

resources needed to support future generations. (Definitions of Sustainability)

• Economical, environmental, and social.

• Resources used the most:– Electricity– Oil– Natural Gas– Water– Food resources

• Factors in cities that increase resource use:– Population increases– Irresponsible power usage and resource consumption.– Food importation– Urban Sprawl

Experimental Design

• Title: Determining Sustainability Standards Using Computerized Simulations

• Experimental Goal: To create a set criterion or list of standards to determine what makes a city sustainable.

• Dependent Variable: The results after 5 trials for each city.

• Constants: City sustainability standards, city design, and standards are implemented.

SimCity Simulations Testing Created Standards

Betaville Simulations Testing Creates Standards.

5 5

Procedure

Research sustainability and aspects of cities

Create sustainability standards

Are the standards reasonable and do they cover all aspects

of sustainability

Apply standards in Simcity

Apply standards in Cities XL

Run 10 times Run 10 times

Record OutcomesRecord Outcomes

Compare Results

Find common occurrences in the results

Can cities work with set

sustainability standards?

Make last modifications to

standards then give final standards

No

Yes

No

Yes Yes

Incorporated StandardsSocial: Meets Does NoJobs available for more than 85% of the populationParks in the area

Better schools available to all (named AP honor district, blue ribbon school, etc)Economic:

Unemployment below 5%A human capital capable of meeting economic demandsEnvironmental:

Water:

Renewed using sewage systemsEnergy and Power:Energy made using renewable resources that reduce the overall amount of pollutants within the air.Transportation Efficiency:Available public transitNo or reduced urban sprawl Uncongested roadways during popular commuting hoursPollution Levels:An air quality index below 50

Mandatory recycling with curbside composting program to cut trash output.Required recycling of canned sodas and bottled water, install more public recycle bins for items.

Require utilities to go carbon neutral through renewable resource use

Energy and Water Resource Data

Sim City Star

t

Sim City

1

Sim City

2

Sim City

3

Sim City

4

Sim City

5

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

Water Resource Data in Sim City

Water Needed (kgal/hr)Excess Water (kgal/hr)Pump Capacity kgal/hr

Simulation

Am

ount

of

Wate

r (k

gal/hr)

Sim City Star

t

Sim City

1

Sim City

2

Sim City

3

Sim City

4

Sim City

5

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

Energy Resource Data For Sim City

Energy NeededTotal Energy MadeExcess Energy

Energ

y (

MW

)

Standard Change

• Corrected standards to require a form of stable clean energy that allows for continual energy production even when other forms are hindered by certain environmental factors.

Water and Energy Resources

Start

1 2 3 4 50

50

100

150

200

250

300

Sim City Energy Resource Data

Energy NeededTotal Energy MadeExcess Energy

Trials

Energ

y (

MW

)Start

1 2 3 4 50

100

200

300

Water Resource Statistics in Sim

City

Water NeededExcess WaterPump Capacity

Axis Title

Wate

r (k

gal/

hr)

Overall Standard Adjustments

• Requirements added:– A form of stable, clean, energy that allows for continual energy

production even when other forms are hindered by certain environmental factors.

– A government capable of keeping up with growing social and economic needs and is capable of providing instrumental resources and services.

– Public transportation standard to include the requirement of more then one form of public transportation that interconnects city zones

– High density buildings in order to confine more citizens into a smaller space.

– Most resources in the city are either produced and consumed equally or consumed at a level less then that resource is produced.

– Overall satisfaction above 75%.• Standard should be made in order to account for cities with a

growing population.• Standard about work force should be more defined as to eliminate

a city from being called sustainable in which the demand for workers is not met.

Conclusion

• Overall the standards created in some did help create a more sustainable city, but the standards did not fully encompass sustainability as even after standards were implemented some areas of the city were still in unsustainable conditions. – Through continued implementation of

standards within city simulations a set of standards could be made that would ensure the creation of a sustainable city.

If I Could Do It Over Again…

• I would include more trials to ensure for more standard adjustment and make the standards more precise.

• I would use simulations that allow me to go more in depth with simulating the environment of a real city.

Acknowledgments

• I’d like to acknowledge my parents for putting up with me throughout this project.

• I’d also like to acknowledge Mr. Bolen for helping me formulate and solve any issues that came up in the completion of this project.

Envirothon

• I’m on the Junior Envirothon team this year!

• So what is Envirothon? Envirothon is an environmentally themed academic competition held in Georgia and other states around the US and Canada.

• It covers topics such as Forestry, Aquatics, Wildelife, and Soils.

Robotics Team

• Robotics is a club that challenges students to solve real world problems using robotic machines.

• We compete in a few different robotics competitions every year and host the Lego Robotics tournament for the middle schoolers.

Science Team Intern

• This year I became the science team intern and generally get tasked with the following kind of assignments:– I set up the labs for Science Olympiad

students.– Help gather the items needed for

competition.

Roller Coaster