ABSTRACT
What allows some systems to weather change, adapt, and survive over the long term, while others experience catastrophic failure and collapse? The question is central to sustainability. It is also a question of system behavior – in this case, behavior of the complex social-ecological system. An understanding of complex systems and the related field of network theory can help designers navigate the dense terrain of sustainability, and has the potential to inform the design of the multitudinous systems that comprise the built environment, from energy and transportation systems to communities and cities.
