Systems Engineering of Interdependent Food, Energy, and Water Infrastructure for Cities and Displaced Populations

Abstract

Large, sudden influxes of individuals represent critical resource stressors to the food, energy, and water (FEW) systems that provide critical services to the region in which they serve. This paper describes progress in identification and monitoring of emergent and future conditions for FEW interdependent infrastructures of coastal cities. The approach seeks to identify combinations of conditions that are most and least disruptive to investments, assets, policies, locations, organizations, etc. The philosophy and methods build on the latest Systems Engineering Body of Knowledge of IEEE, INCOSE, et al. The effort should be of interest to systems engineers, researchers, and policy makers regarding principles, methods, and factors to consider to enhance FEW system resilience, reduce the impacts of population dislocation, and otherwise explore science and technology innovations for FEW infrastructures.