Review by regina_sand88 -- The Future of Buildings, Tran...
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Review by regina_sand88 -- The Future of Buildings, Tran...
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power" by Roger Duncan and Michael E. Webber.]
The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power is a non-fiction book with the power to transport us, though, to the scenarios of some of our favorite science fiction classics but making us question to what extent our future reality is close to those futures imaginatively created by their authors. And the truth is that the power of imagination and innovation has led mankind to turn what in the past were Vernean fantasies into reality. Roger Duncan and Michael E. Webber in this book tell us about the steps forward we have taken, what is being done today in terms of technological advances and where we are headed, taking as focal points three essential elements of the city of the future: its architectural and transportation infrastructure and the energy system that will connect (literally?) everything, including us human beings. With this reading, we will be able to answer relevant current questions such as: what sources of energy will we be using in the future? What forms of transportation will we be using? What will our homes look like? Which sectors will be fully automated? How will we respond to the inevitable impact of climate change? And several other questions that, due to the fast pace of our progress, are already resounding within us.
A remarkable aspect of the book is the fact that it is written by a former politician and a scientist, two men of science, hope, and innovation, conjunction that unfortunately, we do not see as often as we would like, especially when the harmony between both professions is crucial to reach valid solutions for climate change and other conflicts. The book has an environmentalist approach, although not precisely Henry David Thoreau-like, since it values technological progress as a natural step in the evolution of human beings and takes it as something positive that will allow us to have a more comfortable life, but in a sustainable way. However, they move away from toxic idealism, avoiding naïve ideas and contemplating the limitations of political, legislative, social, economic, and natural laws, the likely slowness of the process in some fields, or the possible error of scientists in their forecasts. As in any good work resulting from research, there is no lack of examples and graphs to give greater credibility to the arguments. The authors take into account the historical experience and the background of new technologies, exemplify what work is being done at present by different organizations and institutions, and what are the scientists' forecasts for the future based on such data.
As it usually happens in this type of texts, the authors take into account the situation in developed and developing countries, without addressing how these changes will affect underdeveloped countries, but on the other hand, this is not the purpose of this book, since it is normal to take as a starting point the countries that are in the vanguard.
Despite this questionable point mentioned above, my rating for the book is four out of four stars due to the relevance of the topic that brings us closer to current issues such as alternative energy sources and pollution reduction, its optimistic but realistic vision by not dismissing the limitations, and his faith in the marvels of science.
In my opinion, the book is suitable for a wide audience, not necessarily specialized, because despite being a scientific text, the language is easy to understand and it has a clear structure. Into the bargain, the most important points of each chapter are summarized at every end for reconsolidation. All you need to bring is an interest in science and curiosity for tomorrow.
******
The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power is a non-fiction book with the power to transport us, though, to the scenarios of some of our favorite science fiction classics but making us question to what extent our future reality is close to those futures imaginatively created by their authors. And the truth is that the power of imagination and innovation has led mankind to turn what in the past were Vernean fantasies into reality. Roger Duncan and Michael E. Webber in this book tell us about the steps forward we have taken, what is being done today in terms of technological advances and where we are headed, taking as focal points three essential elements of the city of the future: its architectural and transportation infrastructure and the energy system that will connect (literally?) everything, including us human beings. With this reading, we will be able to answer relevant current questions such as: what sources of energy will we be using in the future? What forms of transportation will we be using? What will our homes look like? Which sectors will be fully automated? How will we respond to the inevitable impact of climate change? And several other questions that, due to the fast pace of our progress, are already resounding within us.
A remarkable aspect of the book is the fact that it is written by a former politician and a scientist, two men of science, hope, and innovation, conjunction that unfortunately, we do not see as often as we would like, especially when the harmony between both professions is crucial to reach valid solutions for climate change and other conflicts. The book has an environmentalist approach, although not precisely Henry David Thoreau-like, since it values technological progress as a natural step in the evolution of human beings and takes it as something positive that will allow us to have a more comfortable life, but in a sustainable way. However, they move away from toxic idealism, avoiding naïve ideas and contemplating the limitations of political, legislative, social, economic, and natural laws, the likely slowness of the process in some fields, or the possible error of scientists in their forecasts. As in any good work resulting from research, there is no lack of examples and graphs to give greater credibility to the arguments. The authors take into account the historical experience and the background of new technologies, exemplify what work is being done at present by different organizations and institutions, and what are the scientists' forecasts for the future based on such data.
As it usually happens in this type of texts, the authors take into account the situation in developed and developing countries, without addressing how these changes will affect underdeveloped countries, but on the other hand, this is not the purpose of this book, since it is normal to take as a starting point the countries that are in the vanguard.
Despite this questionable point mentioned above, my rating for the book is four out of four stars due to the relevance of the topic that brings us closer to current issues such as alternative energy sources and pollution reduction, its optimistic but realistic vision by not dismissing the limitations, and his faith in the marvels of science.
In my opinion, the book is suitable for a wide audience, not necessarily specialized, because despite being a scientific text, the language is easy to understand and it has a clear structure. Into the bargain, the most important points of each chapter are summarized at every end for reconsolidation. All you need to bring is an interest in science and curiosity for tomorrow.
******
The Future of Buildings, Transportation and Power
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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