ABSTRACT
Utility services for water, energy, sewage and solid waste shape the flow of a substantial proportion of the material resources used in cities. They draw on external water and energy resources, distribute these in the required quality and form to consumers and dispose of waste products in and beyond the urban region. The re-ordering of urban technical networks creates the potential to develop new styles of management that keep a downward pressure on resource use and its associated environmental impacts. Past strategies to improve the environmental performance of these infrastructure systems have focused on technological efficiency and innovation, encouraged by state regulation and market incentives. While acknowledging the progress already achieved by these strategies, this book has highlighted the importance of recognizing different styles of infrastructure management shaped by locally specific social and technical contexts.
