Reflections on the need for an improved quantitative modeling approach

There are common elements in different sustainability models regardless of their
application that can be applied to almost any system. Some of the existing models try to establish a
quantitative approach to assess sustainability, some reflect the changes of the target systems through
longitudinal evaluations on case studies and many of the models illustrate the concept using a
descriptive breakdown. This paper tries to find the common elements used in the important existing
sustainability models by comparing the models using a comparison framework. These elements will
be later become the components of a system model. This system model is represented using Complex
Adaptive Systems and Systems‟ theories and also quantitative modelling techniques in order to
eliminate some of the dilemmas in the existing sustainability modelling.

Citation:
"Reflections on the need for an improved quantitative modeling approach" Advances in Computing and Technology, University of East London, January 2011, 217-224.