Green Economy and Sustainability
We research the human (social, cultural, behavioral, economic) dimensions of environmental sustainability. Our research on diverse topics centers on the examination of how sustainability initiatives are producing new regimes of value, in settings such as carbon trading platforms (giving carbon an economic value), individual/firm financial practices (ascribing value to ESG efforts) recycling and reuse exchanges (how a variety of actors attribute value to discarded items), and sustainable urban planning (how sustainabilty intiatives impact real estate value). Value is an important orienting concept because it speaks to the critical interface between environmental values (green) and market values (economy) that are at stake in the ‘green economy’ or the ‘circular economy.’
About HASS Research
The Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) at SUTD offers an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to tackling complex global challenges. By deepening our understanding of human behavior, societies, and cultures, our goal is to promote responsible innovation. Through a synergy of expert knowledge from diverse fields— such as psychology, sociology, economics, history, literature, and the arts —HASS contributes to the creation of solutions that are human-centered and impactful.
We have established four key synergistic focus areas that integrate our expertise across fields:
- Population Health & Wellbeing,
- AI, Ethics & Management
- Green Economy & Sustainability
- Human Flourishing.
These focus areas align closely with SUTD’s four key growth sectors—healthcare, urban science, AI and data science, and aviation and connectivity—creating a cohesive framework that integrates humanities and social sciences into the university’s broader goals. By identifying synergies and commonalities, HASS aims to advance a holistic understanding of global challenges, building capacity and fostering innovation across these critical areas.