AVEL sustainability knowledge network: Collaboration and knowledge exchange in sustainability

This paper outlines the evolution of the AVELSustainability Knowledge Network (or AVEL-SKN). AVEL-SKN aims to provide a web space that brings people and information together around the overlapping themes of engineering, new technologies and the imperatives of sustainability as it impacts on a diverse range of industry and community sectors. The goal is to evolve the Network into a sematic web that supports research, practice and e-learning. AVELSKN is a collaborative venture, which is lead by the University of Queensland. The paper explores the communication and information needs that are specific to researchers and practitioners in this area. The results of focus groups and online surveys of users, which have been conducted by the developers of the SKN, are discussed. Conclusions are drawn regarding the future development and relevance of web-based resources such as AVEL-SKN.