(106d) Measuring Sustainability in a Municipality: Project Houston

As part of the sustainable development minor at Rice University, the Shell Center for Sustainability has commissioned research and a new course on measuring sustainability using the City of Houston as a case study. The work to date has classified over a thousand indicators in one of six categories - ecology, eco-efficiency, economic, meeting basic needs, social and place - and has developed and is developing quantification techniques for the indicators ultimately selected as being representative of city sustainability. This is a multi-year effort intended to be maintained in Houston for decades to come and to serve as a prototype system for other urban areas.