1. Low-tech approaches for sustainability: key principles from the literature and practice
- Author
-
Audrey Tanguy, Lisa Carrière, Valérie Laforest, École des Mines de Saint-Étienne (Mines Saint-Étienne MSE), Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] (IMT), Institut Henri Fayol (FAYOL-ENSMSE), Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] (IMT)-Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] (IMT), Environnement, Ville, Société (EVS), École normale supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon)-École des Mines de Saint-Étienne (Mines Saint-Étienne MSE), Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] (IMT)-Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] (IMT)-Université Lumière - Lyon 2 (UL2)-Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 (UJML), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État (ENTPE)-École nationale supérieure d'architecture de Lyon (ENSAL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Département Génie de l’environnement et des organisations (FAYOL-ENSMSE), and Institut Henri Fayol-Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de St Etienne (ENSM ST-ETIENNE)
- Subjects
Geography, Planning and Development ,development pathways ,[SDE]Environmental Sciences ,Low-tech ,defining framework ,principles ,sustainability ,General Environmental Science - Abstract
Low-tech approaches have come to the fore in the last few years, mainly in opposition to the techno-optimistic model proposed to solve current and future environmental crises. However, low-tech thinking is multifaceted, making the concept potentially rich but also vague. This article develops a seven-principle framework to categorize low-tech concepts based on an abductive approach which included a literature review and interviews with low-tech actors. Principle occurrence was assessed among the authors and interviewees. The results demonstrate that the low-tech movement entails more than a shift to robust and less-consumptive technical artifacts. While resource efficiency and material reuse are important traits of low-tech approaches, technical appropriation is the most frequently cited key principle in the literature and by the actors. This delineation into several principles can help to differentiate low-tech from other sustainability concepts related to resource conservation such as frugal innovations and circular economy. We aim in this article to open a discussion about the ways low-tech proponents are seeking to introduce transformative development pathways to sustainability.
- Published
- 2023