How would you address conflicting opinions on sustainable materials with your team?

To ensure consensus when selecting sustainable materials within a team, it's crucial to align decisions with the ultimate goal of maximizing benefits. The right choice will inevitably stand out, but understanding the pros and cons of each option is vital. Prioritizing comprehensive evaluation and clear communication can lead to more effective and harmonious decision-making.

Face to face discussion on any conflicting opinion is the best approach to resolve it. All material information must be on the table to compare if it meets the sustainability requirements of a project and the client, from that decision can be made.

First thing that we do in such a situation is getting more information about the product from various resources. And then bring all the data onto the table to kick-start a healthy discussion. Having comparable data such as whether is reusable, or bio-degradable, or available locally for procurement, or any other metric that would support (or not) regarding the material's sustainability would provide the rubric for evaluation and conclusive discussion.

There will always be pros and cons of any material or process that claims to be sustainable. As each commission or job is different there are many variables in the heath and safety enviroment it must be constructed in, time frame for construction, length of use and after life and geographical location. Its important to provide the client all the options they are willing to consider that would meet their brief and come up with the most sustainable option that meets their needs. It is always a balancing act.

I think the most import task is to involve existing experts to create a wide and open fact sheet. There are always people working on something, to do this together creates a wide perspective.

I find that in many internal debates, the most often source of contest in whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, is actually in the time horizon. Something could be so-so right now, but it could be good in the future. Something could be good right now, but actually not great in the future. For example: many people challenges whether EVs are good for the environment, as most electricity are generated by fossil fuel and the process of conversion and transporting the electricity to charge the vehicle has plenty of loss through inefficiency. However, if we believe that the world needs to be powered by renewable energy, than having a common 'currency' of energy in electricity is a prerequisite for a better future.

When addressing conflicting opinions on sustainable materials within my team, I prioritize open communication and evidence-based discussions. For example, while leading the design of a new 737 MAX for the NASA Dream With Us Challenge, we had to decide on materials for the fuselage. I encouraged team members to present their research on various materials, like aluminum-lithium alloys and advanced composites. By focusing on our shared goal of creating a sustainable and efficient aircraft, we decided to use a combination of these materials, balancing durability and environmental impact. This approach ensured everyone's input was valued and led to a well-informed, collaborative decision.

It is important to evaluate the project's context and recognize its needs and limitations. The notion of context forces us to evaluate solutions that are equally sustainable but with the variable of concrete opportunity. Creating open dialogue spaces where everyone feels comfortable expressing their views is crucial. Providing continuous education and analyzing case studies on sustainable materials will help the team stay well-informed. Using conflict as an opportunity for innovation, implementing pilot projects, and making data-driven, inclusive decisions will strengthen cohesion and enhance the team's knowledge.

We need to decide what to compare. Unfortunately it is not black and white...this is why it might be so conflicting. If we all look it from different perspectives it is sometimes more easier to understand all opinions.

Sustainability can mean many different things to different people, so it's important to gather a spectrum of views. Inviting different perspectives to the conversation helps provide the range of values, priorities, experience, and creative ideas necessary for a well-considered decision

Una de las acciones claves en dise?o estratégico es poder alinear objetivos con los clientes u otros actores. Para poder hacer esto es importante definir estos objetivos en procesos participativos y creativos que involucren a todos los responsables en la toma de desiciones de los materiales. De esta forma todos participan en el dise?o cubriendo los distintos requerimientos que tienen distintas personas o áreas.

Criteria basically developed amis to achieve the goals in procurement of sustainable materials. To achieve the sustainable goals a criteria may be included i.e. how much %age of recycling contents in materials and how much %age of virgin raw materials used for manufacturing final product material.

Addressing conflicting opinions on sustainable materials requires a structured approach. Establish clear criteria aligned with project sustainability goals, such as carbon footprint, toxicity, renewability, and local availability. Ensure all team members agree on these benchmarks to facilitate fair comparisons and informed decisions. Emphasize the principle, "What you don't measure, you don't control." By quantifying each criterion, the team can objectively evaluate materials, minimizing bias and subjectivity. This approach not only resolves conflicts but also ensures accountability and transparency, ultimately leading to more sustainable and efficient project outcomes.

Criteria are similar to goals, but more essential to a project. A goal is something you hope to achieve, and something to push for. You want to create this to motivate your team and give yourself a target. A criteria, are the parameters in which you will evaluate the effectiveness of your project and in a way, what defines the baseline of what your project is trying to achieve.

Selecting sustainability strategies usually involves trade-offs. Often no one solution fully addresses all goals. Criteria provide a way to measure the sustainability outcomes of different options in a specific project context. What types of outcomes are important to you, and what metrics can effectively show the potential performance of each option?

YES! Start with your goals and make sure all the efforts are focused on accomplishing something that is measurable. Really having a positive impact on the planet!

As it is often hard to fully satisfy all sustainability goals, discuss among your group which goals are most important. To help identify these, ask ... which goals have the most significance for this unique project context? Which goals can you be most certain of achieving? Can unmet goals be pursued through alternative projects or other means?

A criteria defined the relevance of your project and what parameters you need to achieve, but a goal is what gives your team a target to work towards. Prioritizing a series of goals, provides a hierarchy to understand what is the most important target to focus on, and will give clarity and direction for your team to effectively work towards them without being overwhelmed.

As we prioritize our goals, we also clarify the timing, allowing us to select materials that will create the desired impact within those timeframes. Some materials may excel in reducing carbon emissions but may have challenges such as unreliable supply or high capital expenditure (capex) requirements for implementation and scalability within existing assets. I have worked with customers who have medium- and long-term objectives but are seeking to take actions that create impact within a reasonable timeframe. This approach helps us develop roadmaps that prioritize selecting certain materials more quickly than others.

Para poder priorizar objetivos y ponderar indicadores de evaluación se debe considerar un mapeo de actores. Al poder identificar todos los actores estratégicos en el ecosistema de este material, así como con quiénes de estos actores tú tienes un compromiso directo (cliente, usuarios finales, productores u otros), podrás definir objetivos (precio accesible, ergonomía, procesos productivos eficientes) y ponderarlos. Es muy importante hacer este paso para no perderse en discusiones futuras con los clientes o el equipo de trabajo. Entre más colaborativo sea este proceso, menores confusiones habrá en el futuro.

In the end we often discuss about the more sustainable way, if we understand the task to create impact it might be easier to find common ground.

With something that is as broad of a category as sustainability, there is bound to be a collaboration with many different disciplines. To remind each partner in a collaboration that there is a common ground of sustainability will allow a common language to be shared and a common goal that can guide the process.

Si los objetivos del proyecto están bien definidos por lo general se pueden ponderar las acciones para que los objetivos principales se cumplan en corto plazo y pueda haber una planeación también contemplada a mediano y largo plazo. En caso de necesitar una especie de desempate entre dos elementos de sustentabilidad como elegir entre eficiencia energética o una mejor gestión de residuos, siempre se puede tomar en cuenta el factor humano (?qué camino tiene mayor desarrollo social y beneficia a mayor cantidad de comunidades humanas? o bien de animales, del mundo de la flora o gungi). También pueden adherirse temas como regeneración, economía circular o posibilidades de entrar en el mundo de los bonos de carbono.

Setting sustainable goals should not be a conflicting problem. Inform, teach and explain the consequences that it will have on the company's cost outcome. After roles have been established the monitoring and evaluation should be as valuable as the project timeline.

Educating the team on the different details and benefits of each option will allow your team to make a decision based on their own intuition. This in the long run will allow them to take ownership in there decision. When there is ownership over a decision the team will be much more invested throughout the process and become more passionate about the final product.