Keywords: wind, energy, geographical information systems, computer aided design, sustainable, development, sustainability, renewables.

This project investigates the use of geographical information systems (GIS) and computer aided design (CAD) software applications that are commonly utilized within wind farm projects, with the general practice of sustainable development. Further to this, an investigation is presented on the role of GIS and CAD in promoting the values of sustainability in wind farm developments. These values encompass environmental, economic and socio-cultural forms. The investigation examines the attributes of GIS and CAD applications currently under development and aims to highlight the potential for their use if they are more widely implemented throughout civil engineering practice. A critical appraisal has been completed by looking at cases of wind energy developments currently in the planning system. Knowledge gained from working in this industrial sector with Wind Prospect Developments Limited, as well as performing a wider literature search has also been utilized when undertaking the investigation.

It was found that the use of such applications such as GIS and CAD software fundamentally enhance sustainable development with respect to wind energy development. It was concluded that the use of these applications and a more holistic consideration of the development process could substantially further integrate sustainable development within wind energy developments and across the wider civil engineering spectrum. Many of the findings of this project are based on industry experience and case studies of wind farm developments recently completed.

When looking into environmental sustainability, it was concluded that the integration of GIS and CAD software into the development process could identify, analyze and provide means to mitigate problems that arose. This was often most successful with the ability of GIS to spatially analyze areas of environmental importance in the vicinity of the development.

It was also shown that the economical cost of a development could be kept to a minimum with the utilization of GIS and CAD technologies. Common sources of reduction in costs come from pre-emptive mitigation of possible development problems and through communications with external consultants using GIS and CAD software. In-house use of GIS and CAD technologies was also shown to be beneficial to a development and engineering firm as a means to reduce the financial cost of the development.

These applications have also been shown to be beneficial in enhancing the socio-cultural sustainability of a wind farm development. An example on how this is done is through their ability to create pre-construction images of the development for local residents. This could also be linked with the role of GIS and CAD as aids to environmental and economic sustainability. It is argued that this further supports the notion that the principles of sustainability are both connected and invaluable tools in the development of civil engineering projects.

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