This paper examines some of the normative aspects of “community energy” programmes—defined here as decentralized forms of energy production and distributed energy technologies where production decisions are made as close as possible to sources of consumption. Such projects might also display a degree of separation from the formal political process. The development of a community energy system often generates a great deal of debate about both the degree of public support for such programmes and the values around which programmes ought to be organized. Community energy programmes also raise important issues regarding the energy choice problem, including questions of process, that is, by whom a project is developed and the influence of both community and exogenous actors, as well as certain outcome issues regarding the spatial and social distribution of energy. The case studies, drawn from community energy programmes in both the United States and the United Kingdom, allow for a careful examination of all of these factors, considering in particular the complex interplay and juxtaposition between the ideas of “public value” and “public values”.

Saudi Arabia is a developing country that is experiencing a rapid growth in its population and level of urbanisation. Higher education (HE) in the country has developed rapidly over the last ten years, and it is still moving through numerous major reforms. Largely, the concept of sustainability has not yet been formally adopted in public institutions in a way that could sufficiently remedy the range of activities that currently impact negatively on the environment. The central aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which planning and action for sustainability is currently being taken on university campuses in Saudi Arabia, and to review the opportunities and challenges for encouraging and enabling further progress to this end. The research that the paper draws on specifically investigated the influence of decision makers’ personal knowledge and perceptions within Facilities and Project Management (FPM) departments at selected Saudi universities, and the constraints faced by FPM decision makers with regard to the promotion of sustainability on campus. This exploration was supported by the development of a theoretical framework that draws on rational choice theory (RCT). The research revealed mixed levels of prevailing knowledge and awareness towards sustainability among FPM decision makers within the case study university campuses. Cost notably came across as a dominant influence on FPM decision makers’ choices and decisions, and it undoubtedly plays an important role in shaping the decision-making process alongside other key organisational factors. A number of barriers facing the incorporation of sustainability emerged with clarity, such as the lack of supportive leadership, the lack of sustainability knowledge and awareness among senior management and an absence of sustainability-related legislation policy or strategic direction in the HEIs concerned.

In an attempt to enhance democratic governance, sustainable development goals (SDG), and Local Agenda 21 (LA21), the notion of public participation exercise (PPE) presents a range of possibilities. The PPE is observed as a method of solving the constraints faced by public parks in Malaysia, which in general suffer from two main challenges, namely (i) the underutilisation issue of public parks and (ii) the weakness of the present top-down development policy. Consequently, the objective of this study is to develop indicators for PPE in designing public parks in Malaysia. The method implemented in this study is an assessment of the construct, variable, and indicator adapted from Lazarsfeld’s scheme by conducting a document review of the Public Consultation Index (PCI), six sustainability assessment tools, namely LEED-ND, BREEAM, IDP, SITES V2, Green Mark-NRB, and GTI, and literature references. The variables and indicators were tabulated into the respective operational definition of the construct table and variables and measurement table. The findings include the identification of two main constructs, including public participation and public parks. Multiple variables were derived from each construct, including attributes of PPE in designing public parks in Malaysia, development stage, method of approach, type of public, and public parks design criteria. Subsequently, this study developed the fundamental basis for the PPE framework in designing public parks in Malaysia, which benefits the local development approach for public parks towards an integrated design framework.

The exponential growth of off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has significantly improved rural electrification but has also introduced new environmental management challenges related to end-of-life disposal. In Zambia, where over one million solar devices were sold between 2018 and 2022, the short lifespan of many solar kits, often under four years, has resulted in a growing and unregulated stream of solar electronic waste (e-waste). More than 90% of these products are technically repairable yet rarely serviced. This study examines the environmental impacts of informal solar e-waste disposal practices in rural Zambia, where obsolete products are typically buried, burned, or repurposed, posing risks to both ecosystem and human health. Using the Rural Development Stakeholder Hybrid Adoption Model (RUDSHAM), the research investigates how counterfeit technologies, low literacy, and informal market dynamics intensify poor waste handling. Fieldwork conducted between October 2022 and May 2025 included 28 interviews and 2 focus group discussions across four rural districts (Mkushi, Kapiri, Chongwe, and Luano-Chingola). The study identifies key drivers of e-waste mismanagement, including inadequate policy frameworks, counterfeit solar imports, poverty, and low consumer awareness. Recommendations include the development of a national e-waste policy, enhanced border controls, formalisation of informal markets, and community-based solar literacy initiatives. The findings contribute empirical insights to environmental governance and waste policy debates in SSA, empasising the need for lifecycle-based solar waste strategies. This work holds practical relevance for environmental managers, policy-makers, and researchers focused on sustainable energy and waste systems in off-grid, low-income contexts.