Address
Susumi Iai, The 1st Director of ISS (FY2006-FY2007)
UU – Space
After the creation of the Earth 4.6 billion years ago, chemical reactions produced organic molecules, which led to a crude form of a life four billion years ago. Human beings that evolved from primates four million years ago increased their population to five million by innovation of stone implements and further five hundred million by innovation of agriculture. During the ensuing ten thousand years, a period of little technological innovation, the population remained stable. The industrial revolution 200 years ago triggered a population explosion that reached six billion. Technological revolution in 20th century led to further population growth, reaching ten billion within fifty years due to these technological and scientific developments. This growth, in turn, created an excessive burden on the limited earth resources and posed threats to sustainability of humans. The future of the earth and humans depends on our approach to solve these problems.
The Institute of Sustainability Science was established in Kyoto University in April 2006 to solve these problems. This institute is organized by the Institute for Chemical Research, Institute of Advanced Energy, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, and Center for Southeast Asian Studies; altogether these institutes encompass more than three hundred faculty members performing cutting edge research in their specific areas. The research in the Institute of Sustainability Science will be transdisciplinary and performed in a problemoriented manner.
One of the research subjects described in the proposal for the Institute of Sustainability Science is the creation of UU-space, translated in English as Undefined Utopian (freely transforming) space. Instead of creating a predefined standard utopian sustainable space, UU-space transforms from relaxing space to active space, healing space, and creative space, depending on the needs, with an instantaneous response for creation and demolition. The technology needed for UU-space will be based on the combination of science and technologies for innovative materials, new sources of energy, natural environmental healing processes, safety and peace of mind. This concept originated in casual discussion amongst experts, survived the serious discussions, and remained in the final proposal for the Institute of Sustainability Science. A new and innovative concept may originate from unexpected sources where people from different disciplines mingle and discuss topics.