The definitions above focus completely at energy, while more and more it becomes clear that materials resources face similar problems as energy: consumption has unhealthy side effects, and depletion is at the door for many of the materials. The shift towards 100 % renewable materials should also be a target soon for some regions or cities . 100 % R (for mass and energy) in stead of 100% RE (only energy).

The UN university takes the concept already somewhat wider:

The idea of Zero Emissions: A central theme of our envisioned Zero Emissions society is the complete utilization of materials via symbiotic flows: one sector's waste becomes another's input. The term Zero Emissions describes the idea of improvement towards maximal utilization of materials and zero emissions of harmful substances.

This shows clearly the problems the definitions regarding Carbon and climate will cause, when also materials requires a neutral approach: Carbon is a main element in renewable materials, and climate is affected by land use for different resources, either materials or energy or food growing. It it is therefore necessary to have similar definitions developed for materials targets to reserve the claims for in a broader context.

Of course, Sustainability even goes beyond this. Some regions and countries already have some kind of target established regarding this. Like the country of Bhutan: The constitution law states that any decision should add to the GNH: Gross national Happinness (in stead of GDP) the definition and measuring is somewhat difficult, however.

We like to emphasize that this paper was not about "Sustainability" . Here we addressed energy consumption and limiting the impacts/effects or replace the causes . It does not say anything about the fact whether the energy was used in a 'sustainable' way (holiday by plain, to name one). This paper was to explore the vagueness in energy related definitions, but does not imply that the authors see this as the only or the main target to meet in our transition to a sustainable society.

Ronald Rovers / Vera Rovers, August 2008 .

Websites: see www.sustainablebuilding.info to have the webadresses as direct link.

carbon neutral pub…

http://www.sylviamilne.co.uk/pub.htm

100 pct renewable energy island

http://w2.djh.dk/international/2001/samso/

"energie autarke stadt" Gussing

http://www.gussing.at/frame.asp?Bereich=Wirtschaft

Ashton Hayes, UK

http://www.goingcarbonneutral.co.uk/

Växjö , Sweden

http://www.vaxjo.se/vaxjo_templates/Page.aspx?id=1664

Kalmar Sweden

http://www.kalmar.regionforbund.se/sv/Welcome/About-The-Regional-Council/Environment/

Kristianstad

http://www.kristianstad.se/klimat

http://www.managenergy.net/download/nr254.pdf

Newcastle

http://www.carbonneutralnewcastle.com/home/

Dutch Pilot program CO2 neutral cities

http://www.builddesk.nl/files/BuildDesk_NL/BD-NL%20Graphics/BD-NL%20PDF/Productsheet_Routekaart_klimaatneutrale_gemeenten.pdf (in dutch)

Sydney

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Environment/GreenhouseAndAirQuality/WhattheCityisdoing/CarbonNeutral.asp

Masdar

http://www.masdaruae.com/

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/7807

WWF One planet principles

http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/policy/one_planet_living/about_opl/principles/index.cfm

Dongtan

http://www.arup.com/eastasia/project.cfm?pageid=7047

Sejong, Korea

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsview.asp?serial_no=20070720035

CO2 worldcup

http://www.co2worldcup.org/carbonneutralcities.htm

The Vatican Climate Forest,

http://www.cathnews.com/news/707/76.php

China project http://www.bioregional.com/news%20page/news_stories/ZED/Zero%20carbon%20homes%20training%20peer%20reviewed%20July%2007.htm

Low Carbon world discussion

http://www.lowcarbonworld.com/webseminars.aspx

Ngo initiatives

http://www.bioregional.com/oneplanetliving/china/jinshan

article

http://editions.pagesuite.co.uk//PageSuite3.aspx?page=122&scale=100&height=700&width=1000&editionid=36879&filekey=&path=_PSEDitions/White%20Digital%20Media/Exec%20Digital/2007-09-20/

wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_energy_building

Nepal project

http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/260/Nation/725

award

http://zeroenergybuilding.org/

article

http://www.buildings.com/articles/detail.aspx?contentID=4987

NRL study

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39833.pdf

UN university:

http://www.unu.edu/zef/about.html

zero emissions network

http://www.zeroemissionnetwork.org/